Technique for greatly shortening the transition from methadone to naltrexone maintenance of patients addicted to opiates.

Acute methadone detoxification was induced by the intravenous administration of naloxone during simultaneous intravenous sedation with midazolam, a fully reversible short-acting benzodiazepine, in seven patients addicted to opiates. Within hours the patients tolerated full doses of naltrexone. This technique enables patients to transfer easily, quickly, and safely from methadone to naltrexone maintenance.