PSYCHOTROPIC ANALGESIC NITROUS OXIDE FOR ACUTE COCAINE WITHDRAWAL IN MAN

Abstract

This article reports the first single-blind study using psychotropic analgesic nitrous oxide (PAN) for treating acute withdrawal states following cocaine abuse. Thirty-one of the 33 cases responded by a reduction of symptom scores of 50% or more, which clinical experience has shown to be synonymous with observed recovery. Five subjects were placebo responders without further improvement following PAN. Eleven subjects were not improved by placebo but responded positively to PAN. Fifteen responded to both the O₂ with a further improvement following PAN. Aggregate scores of symptoms such as craving, anxiety, and dysphoria were greatly decreased by O₂. These improvements were even greater following PAN as compared to post O₂ scores. Two patients failed to respond to any treatment condition. Thus 93.9% of the subjects were improved by the use of PAN and/or O₂ alone.

Keywords:

• cocaine withdrawal
• psychotropic analgesic nitrous oxide