3.1.5 Agonist & Antagonist Evaluation (Add)

Question 1

(agonist) NICE assessed 31 reviews into the effectiveness of methadone including what?

Answer 1

27 randomised controlled trials

Question 2

(agonist - methadone) what is a randomised controlled trial?

Answer 2

one group is allocated to placebo and one experimental, who ends up where is random

Question 3

(agonist - methadone) NICE found higher levels of what of those using methadone compared to placebo?

Answer 3

higher levels of retention

Question 4

(agonist - methadone) NICE found lower levels of what of those using methadone compared to placebo?

Answer 4

lower levels of opiod use

Question 5

(agonist - methadone) NICE research suggests what about the effectiveness of methadone?

Answer 5

more effective than placebo in stopping opiod usage

Question 6

(agonist) a 2006 meta analysis of studies into effectiveness found methadone is effective as long as dosage is what?

Answer 6

adequate

Question 7

(agonist - methadone) what is a meta analysis?

Answer 7

gathering of all existing data e.g. on a treatment and analysing it

Question 8

(agonist) what is buprenorphine?

Answer 8

milder alternative to methadone

Question 9

(agonist) what properties does buprenorphine have?

Answer 9

agonist and antagonist

Question 10

(agonist) explain what is means that buprenorphine had both agonist and antagonist properties?

Answer 10

it can bind to a receptor and imitate the action of a substance but it can also block the action of a substance

Question 11

(agonist - methadone) a study analysing data from over 5 years concluded buprenorphine is how many times safer than methadone?

Answer 11

6x

Question 12

(agonist - methadone) why is buprenorphine safer than methadone?

Answer 12

ceiling effect - less risk of overdose

once a certain amount has been taken increasing dosage has no further effect

Question 13

(agonist - methadone) even though buprenorphine is safer why is methadone the preferred treatment?

Answer 13

allows for dosage to be increased to a point where no withdrawal symptoms are seen
even at the ceiling effect of buprenorphine withdrawal symptoms may be seen

Question 14

(antagonist - naltrexone) NICE reviewed how many studies concerning the effectiveness of naltrexone for heroin addiction?

Answer 14

17

Question 15

(antagonist - naltrexone) what did NICE find in their review of studies into effectiveness of naltrexone?

Answer 15

no difference between naltrexone and control treatments for retention on treatment programmes

Question 16

(antagonist - naltrexone) what does NICE research suggest about naltrexone?

Answer 16

no more effective in treating addiction than other treatments

Question 17

(antagonist - naltrexone) in NICEs research naltrexone was associated with a reduction in what?

Answer 17

relapse rates

Question 18

(antagonist - naltrexone) NICE found naltrexone was associated with a reduction in relapse rates particularly in patients who were what?

Answer 18

highly motivated
closely monitored
offered extra support

Question 19

(antagonist - naltrexone) NICEs findings on naltrexone and reduced relapse rates suggest what?

Answer 19

naltrexone is effective in preventing relapse particularly when other support is made available

Question 20

(antagonist - naltrexone) Lahti et al tested effectiveness of naltrexone on a sample of who?

Answer 20

gamblers

Question 21

(antagonist - naltrexone) Lahti et al - gamblers were instructed to take naltrexone when?

Answer 21

before gambling or when feeling an urge to gamble

Question 22

(antagonist - naltrexone) what did Lahti find a significant decrease in?

Answer 22

gambling levels when taking naltrexone

Question 23

(antagonist - naltrexone) what does Lahti’s research suggest about naltrexone?

Answer 23

it may be effective in the treatment of gambling addictions

Question 24

(antagonist - naltrexone) what is an issue of Lahti et al’s research?

Answer 24

small sample of gamblers

they themselves said more research was needed

Question 25

what is an issue of studies not following up over a long period of time?

Answer 25

doesn’t show if drugs decrease in their effectiveness overtime
doesn’t show if relapse occurs

Question 26

addicts often experience other social and psychological issues in addition to addiction what is an issue of this?

Answer 26

can influence results of effectiveness of the drugs

Question 27

(ethics) methadone is a sedative drug, what does its side effects include?

Answer 27

suppressed nervous system - and breathing
slowed body functioning
reduced physical and psychological pain
risk of fatal overdose

Question 28

(ethics) in 2014 how many deaths in the UK was methadone responsible for?

Answer 28

349

Question 29

(ethics) many of those receiving methadone remain on it for a long time and without the proper support what do they struggle to do?

Answer 29

make it to the detoxification/maintenance stage

Question 30

(ethics) critics of methadone say all it does is what?

Answer 30

create another addiction

Question 31

(ethics) what are some common side effects of naltrexone?

Answer 31

headaches
nausea
dizziness
trouble sleeping

Question 32

(ethics) mild opiate withdrawal symptoms can occur with naltrexone such as what?

Answer 32

abdominal cramps
joint pain
muscle aches
runny nose

Question 33

(ethics) what can sudden side effects of naltrexone include?

Answer 33

vomiting
diarrhea 
hallucinations
anxiety
confusion

Question 34

(ethics) large doses of naltrexone can increase the risk of what?

Answer 34

liver disease

Question 35

(ethics) with side effects, administering these drugs may cause more what?

Answer 35

harm than good

Question 36

(social)breaking the habit report - how much is spent on treating drug users with substitutes like methadone and keeping them on benefits?

Answer 36

£3.6 billion

Question 37

(social)breaking the habit report - how much do England’s 320,000 problem drug users cost in benefits?

Answer 37

£1.7 billion

Question 38

(social)breaking the habit report - how much do England’s 320,000 problem drug users cost in childcare?

Answer 38

£1.2 billion

Question 39

(social) breaking the habit report - how much do England’s 320,000 problem drug users cost in treatment?

Answer 39

£370 million

Question 40

(social) breaking the habit report - what would be more effective in getting addicts off drugs completely?

Answer 40

rehabilitation

Question 41

(social) breaking the habit report - prescribing methadone delays recovery where rehabilitation would do what?

Answer 41

free individuals from dependency on drugs

Question 42

(social) drugscope said the report overestimated what?

Answer 42

the cost of prescribing methadone

Question 43

(social) drugscope highlighted the national audit office described drug treatment as good value for money as methadone makes addicts more able to what?

Answer 43

function in society and manage their addiction

Question 44

(social) national treatment agency report - treating heroin users with methadone immediately reduces what?

Answer 44

their criminality - positive influence on society

Question 45

(social) national treatment agency report - rates of offending are reduced by how much when addicts are in treatment?

Answer 45

half

Question 46

(social) breaking the habit report - despite the availability of methadone what has continued to rise?

Answer 46

drug related reoffending

Question 47

(social) setting up methadone programmes centred in one area may lead to what?

Answer 47

addicts gathering in a certain area, possibly increasing crime and antisocial behaviour

Question 48

(social) what did Boyd et al’s research in Baltimore show?

Answer 48

despite having treatment centres it had similar crime rates to the surrounding areas