Possible Interaction: Ethanol and Methadone

“Interactions of both a pharmacodynamic and also dispositional type may occur between ethanol and either the short-acting exogenous opioids, such as heroin and morphine, or the long-acting exogenous opioid, methadone.”

“Interactions … ethanol … methadone and also probably between ethanol and heroin may be major factors in contributing to the concomitant addictive diseases of narcotic addiction and alcoholism … also may contribute to persistent illicit drug use of a narcotic or non-narcotic type in patients receiving methadone treatment for heroin addiction.”

“Over half of the so-called "overdose" cases in which exogenous opioids (heroin or methadone ) are implicated, are in fact cases in which concomitant abuse of alcohol has played a prominent role.”

“Following … with methadone alone, blood … of ethanol are accelerated to a greater extent than following chronic treatment with ethanol alone in the rat; following chronic treatment with both … and ethanol, rates of ethanol elimination are accelerated to a significantly more rapid rate than following treatment with either agent alone.”

“Heroin addicts maintained on prolonged methadone treatment who became secondarily addicted to ethanol develop a syndrome with a tenfold increase in mortality rate over those on methadone maintenance alone.'”

“Conclusions: Study findings indicate that an acute increase in methadone (150%) and a moderate dose of alcohol (2–3 drinks) can impair distinct aspects of performance, although no significant interactive effect between methadone and alcohol was found.”

“The combined use of methadone and alcohol could impair performance and daily functioning.”

“ Methadone significantly reduces the consumption of alcohol by nonalcoholic heroin addicts.”

“ Alcohol has been suggested to be a risk factor for opioid-dependent patients in methadone maintenance treatment (MMT).”

“In addition, simultaneous use of other CNS depressant such as opioids, alcohol , benzodiazepines, which acts synergistically as depressants, should be taken into consideration while prescribing methadone.”

“After stopping alcohol , the dosage of methadone was reduced (60 mg daily) followed by edema resolution within 15 days.”

“Since it has been established that methadone maintenance patients use methadone quite commonly in combination with illegal drugs and/or alcohol , the classification of this type of addicts among possible driving candidates remains disputable.”

“Grella: The research is very clear that individuals in me hadone therapy wh o use cocaine or alc ohol ha ve relatively poor response to treatment.”