Utility of Olanzapine in the Treatment of Opioid Withdrawal in the ED

Summary

Withdrawal from opioids is a clinical scenario that emergency department physicians encounter frequently. Patients who present with opioid withdrawal display symptoms such as agitation, anxiety, myalgias, abdominal pain, diarrhea, nausea, and vomiting. Currently, the standard treatment for opioid withdrawal is clonidine (an alpha-2 adrenergic agonist), as well as supportive cares (anti-emetics, intravenous fluids). Olanzapine is an atypical antipsychotic that is given frequently in the ED for many of the same symptoms that are seen in patients who are experiencing opioid withdrawal, however its use in this toxidrome has never been studied. The hypothesis of this study is that olanzapine is a safe and efficacious option when compared to clonidine for the treatment of opioid withdrawal in the emergency department.

Timeline

Start

2015-11

Primary completion

2017-06-21

Completion

2017-06-21

Drugs

Indications