Antakson

Antakson - a drug that is a competitive antagonist of opioid receptors and is intended for the treatment of alcohol and drug addiction.

Release form and composition

The medicine is produced in the form of hard gelatin capsules, each of which contains:

• 50 mg of naltrexone hydrochloride as an active substance;
• Auxiliary components such as magnesium stearate and lactose monohydrate.

Capsules are sold in 10 pcs. in blister packs packed in cartons.

Indications for use

As indicated in the instructions to Antakson, this drug is prescribed as part of complex therapy:

• For the treatment of opioid addiction (drug addiction) in order to maintain such a person's condition in which drugs cannot have a characteristic "stupefying" effect on him;
• For the treatment of chronic alcoholism (on the background of psychotherapy).

Contraindications

According to the annotation to the drug, the use of Antakson is contraindicated:

• People taking narcotic analgesics;
• If a positive urine test for the presence of opiates or opioids;
• Without conducting a preliminary provocative test with naloxone;
• Patients with acute hepatitis;
• In opioid withdrawal syndrome;
• Patients with liver failure;
• In the presence of hypersensitivity to naltrexone or any auxiliary component of the drug.

Antakson is prescribed, but with great care and under the special control of physicians to patients who have impaired liver / kidney function.

It is not recommended to prescribe the drug to children and adolescents under 18 years old, pregnant and lactating women, because data on the effectiveness and safety of its use in this category of patients is not enough.

Dosing and Administration

The first stage of Antaxon treatment of heroin addiction is the introduction phase.

Therapy begins at least 7 days after the last drug intake (as determined using urinalysis), provided that all symptoms of withdrawal symptoms are absent.

Further, a so-called provocative test with intravenous administration of 500 μg of naloxone is necessarily carried out (if there is a need to repeat the test, observe the 24-hour interval).

As soon as the provocative test shows a negative result, the patient is given the first dose of Antakson in the amount of 20 mg. After one hour, provided that the patient did not show signs of withdrawal, another 30 mg is given - the remainder of the daily dose.

The second stage of Antaxon treatment is supportive therapy. It is carried out according to one of the following schemes:

• 50 mg of naltrexone (1 capsule) once a day;
• At 50 mg in the first five days, 100 mg - on day 6, then repeat;
• 100 mg every two days or 150 mg every three days and repeat again.

Patients with a long-term deprivation of a narcotic substance are advised to adhere to the following treatment regimen: on the first and second days of maintenance therapy - 100 mg each, then on the fifth day - 150 mg, etc.

For your information: one capsule of Antakson (50 mg of naltrexone) is enough to block the effect of 25 mg of heroin administered intravenously.

The minimum recommended course of treatment for maintenance therapy is 6 months, the minimum allowable is 3 months.

In chronic alcoholism, Antakson, according to the instructions, is prescribed after a naloxone test, in the absence of signs of withdrawal symptoms: 1 capsule once a day for at least 3 months.

Side effects

According to numerous reviews, with the observance of the doses of Antakson recommended by the doctor in patients who do not have opioids, serious adverse reactions do not occur.

However, in some cases the drug has side effects:

• More than 10% of cases are noted: nausea, weakness, pain in the abdomen, muscles and joints, irritability, vomiting, anxiety, sleep disturbances;
• Less than 10% of patients experience: dizziness, diarrhea, loss of appetite, constipation, skin rash, psychomotor agitation, delayed ejaculation and / or decrease in sexual potency;
• In individual cases, photophobia, hallucinations, fatigue, cough, depression, confusion, nightmares are possible.

In laboratory studies, lymphocytosis and transaminase activity are sometimes noted.

It is important to note that all the described negative reactions of the body were observed in patients as against the background of the use of Antakson, and prior to the start of therapy, and therefore it is impossible to clearly consider these symptoms as side effects of the drug.

special instructions

If the patient is to undergo surgery with opioid analgesics, the last capsule of Antakson should be drunk no later than 48 hours.

Every person treated with a drug containing naltrexone must carry with them a prescription card, which is required to inform health professionals in cases where emergency medical care is required. If the patient needs to overcome the blockade of opioid receptors (for example, with induction anesthesia or anesthesia in an emergency), you should use high doses of short-acting opioid analgesics. This reduces the risk of respiratory depression in the patient and vascular collapse.

When using Antakson in doses recommended by a doctor, the drug does not adversely affect the speed of psychomotor reactions and visual acuity.

Analogs

Analogs of Antakson are the following drugs:

• According to the active substance: Vivitrol, Naltrexone and Naltrexone FV;
• According to the mechanism of action: Antabus, Lidevin, Prodetokson, Radoter, Teturam and Esperal.

Terms and conditions of storage

Antakson is a prescription drug. It has a shelf life of 3 years, subject to standard storage rules — a cool place (at room temperature), dry and always protected from sunlight.