dose reduction regimes

Last reviewed 01/2018

• seek expert advice
• following stabilisation on methadone the dose can be reduced at a rate which will result in zero in around 12 weeks. This is usually a reduction of around 5 mg every one or two weeks. Patients often prefer a faster reduction at the beginning although there is no research evidence to indicate the superiority of a linear or exponential dose reduction (1)
  • an example of a faster detoxification programme is a reduction in methadone dose of 5mg per day until the daily dose of methadone is 40mg per day - thereafter the dose could be reduced by 5mg on alternate days (2)

Reference:

• (1) RCGP (2007). Drug misuse and dependence: UK guidelines on clinical management
• (2) Prescribers' Journal 2000; 40 (2): 67-76.