Mental Disorders Due to Use of Opioids

  • Morphine, heroin (diacetylmorphine), codeine, pethidine, methadone.
  • Heroin:
    • dependence develops within two weeks of daily use
    • overdose may lead to death
    • withdrawal symptoms are extremely unpleasant
    • needle-sharing represents a serious risk of transmission of HIV and hepatitis B + C viruses
    • treatment of the withdrawal state – buprenorphine, benzodiazepines, spasmolytics; in serious cases of dependence heroin is replaced by methadone