Unintentional rapid opioid detoxification

Naltrexone is a long acting opioid antagonist that is used in rehabilitatio n programmes to maintain heroin abstinence. It is a relatively new drug pre scribed by specialists in substance misuse. Its actions and effects may not be familiar to many accident and emergency doctors or even to the people w ho take it. A case report is described where accidental ingestion of naltre xone results in a medical emergency by precipitating acute withdrawal in a heroin addict.