Common antidepressant mirtazapine could hold key to treating meth addiction
A common antidepressant could be the key to treating methamphetamine addiction, a landmark Australian research trial has found.
A common antidepressant could be the key to treating methamphetamine addiction, a landmark Australian research trial has found.
The clinical trial, of 339 adults with moderate to severe methamphetamine use disorder, found those who took the antidepressant mirtazapine over a 12-week period reduced their risk of drug use by almost 10 per cent.
Dubbed the Tina Trial, it built upon two smaller trials in the US that found mirtazapine helped people reduce their meth use and improved their mood.
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By continuing you agree to our Terms and Privacy Policy.Australian researchers at the National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre at the University of New South Wales and the Monash Addiction Research Centre in Melbourne wanted to explore this further to see if it could be used in routine clinical care for addiction.
At the start of the trial, the participants recruited from six outpatient clinics nationwide reported using meth on 24 days out of the past 28 days on average.
By the trial’s end, the group taking daily mirtazapine reduced the frequency of their meth use by seven days — much greater than the 4.8-day drop seen in the placebo group.
Chief investigator on the trial Professor Rebecca McKetin said the result is a “game-changer.”
“Ours is the first clinical trial in the world to definitively confirm that once-daily mirtazapine can be used to treat methamphetamine dependence in routine clinical practice,” Professor McKetin said.
“This is not a silver bullet but it’s a very important step forward and will encourage people struggling with methamphetamine use to seek support.”
Mirtazapine is a generic antidepressant sold under the brand names Avanza, Mirtanza and Axit in Australia. Its side effects can include drowsiness and increased appetite.
It has a well-established safety profile and is listed on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme, making it considerably more affordable.
“Even small reductions in methamphetamine use can translate into meaningful improvements in health and well-being,” co-author and clinical addiction psychiatrist Associate Professor Shalini Arunogiri said.
“For many people, this trial would also have been the first time they talked to a doctor about their drug use, which gives us an opportunity to address their other healthcare needs.”
Associate Professor Arunogiri said most people who seek help for drug dependence also experience problems with mood and disrupted sleep patterns that can perpetuate the cycle of drug abuse.
“Having a medication that can address both their substance use and their mood and sleep problems is a real boon and allows us to provide a more integrated treatment approach,” she said.
Methamphetamine is a highly addictive, synthetic drug with powerful stimulant effects.
There are currently no approved medications available for people with methamphetamine use disorder, which affects an estimated 7.4 million people worldwide.
Those with the disorder are at greater risk of health problems and harms including heart attack, stroke, kidney failure, viral infections such as hepatitis C and HIV, psychosis, suicide and self-harm, and premature death.
In Australia, the estimated social cost of methamphetamine use is more than $6 billion, mainly attributed to criminal justice costs.
