Outpatient drug treatment centre and patterns of drug use

Aims: To establish the extent to which addicts used opioids, benzodiazepines, ethanol, cocaine and amphetamines, and to define the pattern of such use over time.

Design: A retrospective analysis of data of 42.610 analyses from urinalysis screening between 2000 and 2003.

Measurements: Analytical techniques used included enzyme-multiplied immunoassay and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry.

Results: Within methadone treatment a total of 23,4% and within the sublingual buprenorphine programme a total of 16,5% positive urine samples regarding additional consumption were detected (p=0.000). Benzodiazepines (63% of all methadone- and 40% of all sublingual buprenorphine positive samples; (p=0.000)) and opioids (26% of all methadone- and 21% of all sublingual buprenorphine positive samples; (p=0.000)) were most frequently detected. In both of the treatment programmes morphine abuse (63%) was higher than heroin (7%).

Discussion: In summary, the present data indicate that nonprescribed drug use remains a persistent problem for patients in maintenance treatment. Most misused substances include mainly opioids and benzodiazepines. Nonprescribed morphine has replaced heroin.