Clinical Trials on the Use of Revia or Depade Naltrexone
The precise working procedure for naltrexone is unidentified. Reports from successfully treated patients hint three kinds of actions. First, naltrexone can reduce longing to drink. Second, naltrexone helps patients remain sober. Finally, naltrexone can impede with the affinity to want to drink more if a recovering patient slips and has a drink.
Alcoholism
Several studies have been made to examine the effectiveness of Revia Naltrexoneinthe treatment of alcoholism. In placebo-controlled, outpatient, double blind trials, a dose of Revia Naltrexone 50 mg once daily for 12 weeks was used as an add-on to social and psychotherapeutic methods. These studies showed an improvement in patient compliance. Patients who had psychosis, dementia, and secondary psychiatric diagnoses were excluded from these studies.
In a study, 104 alcohol-dependent patients were randomized to take either REVIA 50 mg once daily or placebo. The study proved REVIA greater than placebo in trial of drinking including abstention rates (51% vs. 23%), number of drinking days, and relapse (31% vs. 60%). Another study was conducted on 82 alcohol-dependent patients. This time patients using REVIA showed lower relapse rates (21% vs. 41%), less alcohol craving, and fewer drinking days proportionate to patients who received placebo, but these results depended on the specific analysis used.
A multicenter safety study also assessed it as adjunctive pharmacotherapy for the treatment of alcoholism. This study included 865 individuals with alcoholism having comorbid psychiatric conditions, concomitant medications, polysubstance abuse and HIV disease. Results of this study established that the side effects of REVIA were same in both alcoholic and opioid dependent patients, and that serious side effects were exceptional.
In the clinical studies, treatment with Revia Naltrexone resulted in self-discipline, prevented relapse and lessened alcohol use. In the uncontrolled study, the patterns of abstinence and relapse were equal to those observed in the controlled studies. This drug was not unvaryingly supportive to all patients, and the expected effect of the drug is a slight development in the result of conventional treatment.
Treatment of Opioid Addiction
Study made on REVIA demonstrated to produce complete barrier of the euphoric effects of opioids in both volunteer and addict populations. When taken by means that impose compliance, it will produce an effective opioid obstruction, but has not been shown to affect the use of cocaine or other non-opioid drugs of abuse.
No data are available revealing a clearly favorable effect of REVIA on rates of recidivism among detoxified, previously opioid-dependent individuals who self-administer the drug. The breakdown of the drug in this setting appears to be because of poor medicine compliance.
The drug has maximum use in good prognosis opioid addicts who take the drug as part of a complete occupational rehabilitative program, behavioral contract, or other compliance-enhancing protocol. REVIA is different from methadone or LAAM (levo-alpha-acetylmethadol). It does not support medication compliance and is expected to have a remedial effect only when given under external conditions that sustain persistent use of the medication.