Treating gambling disorder with as needed administration of intranasal naloxone: a pilot study to evaluate acceptability, feasibility and outcomes.

ABSTRACT:

Background and aim

There is growing interest in the use of medication-assisted treatments for gambling disorder (GD). Opioid receptor antagonists are hypothesised to blunt the craving associated with gambling. This study was designed to assess the feasibility of using an intranasal naloxone spray to treat GD.

Design

An 8-week, open-label, uncontrolled pilot study.

Setting

A single study site in the capital region of Finland.

Subjects

Twenty problem gamblers (nine men) were randomised into two groups. Group A (n=10) took one dose into one nostril (2 mg naloxone), as needed, with a maximum of 4 doses/day (max. 8 mg/day). Group B (n=10) took one dose into each nostril (4 mg naloxone) as needed, with a maximum of 4 doses/day (max. 16 mg/day).

Intervention

Na

SUBMITTER: Castren S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6707653 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature