Detoxification of nonopiate drugs in the chronic pain setting and clonidine opiate detoxification.

Although the pain physician is most familiar with the treatment of the opiate withdrawal syndrome, other drugs are abused by the chronic pain patient. The pain physician should then be familiar with the withdrawal syndromes associated with other drug groups. The withdrawal syndromes associated with hypnosedatives, psychotomimetics, nicotine, stimulants, ergot alkaloids, beta adrenergic blocking agents, antidepressants, muscle relaxants, and alpha-adrenergic agonists are described. Drug detoxification protocols for these drugs are reviewed. Additionally, the rationale for clonidine opiate detoxification is discussed, and current clonidine detoxification protocols are reviewed.