The impact of lofexidine on stress-related opioid craving and relapse: Design and methodology of a randomized clinical trial.

ABSTRACT: Opioid Use Disorders (OUDs) and drug overdose deaths are increasing at alarmingly high rates in the United States. Stress and dysregulation in biologic stress response systems such as the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis and noradrenergic system appear to play an important role in the pathophysiology of substance use disorders and relapse to drug use, particularly for women. Alpha-2 adrenergic agonist medications effectively decrease noradrenergic activity and have demonstrated benefit in preventing relapse to substance use and decreasing stress-reactivity and craving in cocaine- and nicotine-dependent women, compared to men. Alpha-2 adrenergic agonists may help decrease stress reactivity in individuals with OUDs and prevent relapse to drug use, but gender differences have yet to be sys

SUBMITTER: Guille C 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8761253 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature