William W. Stoops and Craig R. Rush Pages 7026 - 7035 ( 10 )
Stimulant use disorders are an unrelenting public health concern worldwide. Agonist replacement therapy is among the most effective strategies for managing substance use disorders including nicotine and opioid dependence. The present paper reviewed clinical data from human laboratory self-administration studies and clinical trials to determine whether agonist replacement therapy is a viable strategy for managing cocaine and/or amphetamine use disorders. The extant literature suggests that agonist replacement therapy may be effective for managing stimulant use disorders, however, the clinical selection of an agonist replacement medication likely needs to be based on the pharmacological mechanism of the medication and the stimulant abused by patients. Specifically, dopamine releasers appear most effective for reducing cocaine use whereas dopamine reuptake inhibitors appear most effective for reducing amphetamine use.
Cocaine, methamphetamine, agonist replacement therapy, drug self-administration, clinical trial, dopamine releaser, dopamine reuptake inhibitor.
, Department of Behavioral Science, University of Kentucky Medical Center, Lexington, KY 40536- 0086.