Opiate withdrawal using clonidine. A safe, effective, and rapid nonopiate treatment.

Clonidine hydrochloride was administered to ten patients in an inpatient setting after abrupt discontinuation of chronic methadone hydrochloride administration. Clonidine produced a rapid and statistically significant decrease in opiate withdrawal signs and symptoms. Clonidine administration for 14 days enabled all patients to be successfully detoxified from chronic opiate administration. In all patients studied, clonidine was a safe and effective nonopiate treatment of opiate withdrawal that suppressed the affect, signs, and symptoms of opiate withdrawal. These data support the hypothesis that the alpha 2-adrenergic agonist, clonidine, has substantial antiwithdrawal effect by replacing opiate-mediated inhibition with alpha 2-mediated inhibition of brain noradrenergic activity.