Outpatient treatment and outcome of prescription drug abuse

Abstract

Consecutive patients [46] who voluntarily sought outpatient treatment for abuse of 1 or more prescription drugs were studied. Barbiturates, amphetamines and diazepam were the most common drugs abused. Desired treatments by patients included counseling, medical withdrawal or medical maintenance with the drug of abuse or a chemically related drug. Patients [22, 47.8%] left treatment and relapsed within 1 mo.; another 8 (17.4%) patients relapsed between 1 and 3 mo. after entering treatment. Only 13 (28.3%) reported abstinence 90 days after entering treatment. A wide range of medical, social and psychologic resources are apparently required to treat prescription drug abuse, and long-term drug abstinence is difficult to achieve with all patients.