Overview
Heroin addiction is a chronic relapsing condition characterized by compulsive drug seeking and use despite harmful consequences 1. Standard opioid substitution treatments (OST) may be ineffective for some individuals with long-term heroin addictions 1.Diagnosis
Management
Supervised heroin-assisted treatment (HAT) has been shown to be effective for individuals with long-term heroin addictions for whom standard OST has been ineffective 1.
HAT has demonstrated statistically significant improvements in retention compared to other OST 1.
HAT has also been associated with improvements in street drug use, health, and social functioning 1.Special Populations
Key Recommendations
Supervised heroin-assisted treatment (HAT) is an effective treatment option for individuals with long-term heroin addictions who have not responded to standard opioid substitution treatments (OST) 1. (Evidence: Strong)
HAT can improve retention in treatment for individuals with chronic heroin addiction 1. (Evidence: Strong)
HAT may lead to improvements in street drug use, health outcomes, and social functioning in individuals with chronic heroin addiction 1. (Evidence: Strong)References
1 McNair R, Monaghan M, Montgomery P. Heroin assisted treatment for key health outcomes in people with chronic heroin addictions: A context-focused systematic review. Drug and alcohol dependence 2023. link