User:Mr. Ibrahem/Naltrexone

Naltrexone, sold under the brand names ReVia and Vivitrol among others, is a medication primarily used to manage alcohol or opioid dependence. An opioid-dependent person should not receive naltrexone before detoxification. It is taken by mouth or by injection into a muscle. Effects begin within 30 minutes. A decreased desire for opioids, though, may take a few weeks.

Side effects may include trouble sleeping, anxiety, nausea, and headaches. In those still on opioids, opioid withdrawal may occur. Use is not recommended in people with liver failure. It is unclear if use is safe during pregnancy. Naltrexone is an opioid antagonist and works by blocking the effects of opioids, both those from inside and outside the body.

Naltrexone was first made in 1965 and was approved for medical use in the United States in 1984. It is on the World Health Organization's List of Essential Medicines. As of 2019, the wholesale cost of tablets is about US$0.80 per day in the United States. The extended-release injections cost about $1,267 per month ($41 per day). Naltrexone, as naltrexone/bupropion, is also used to treat obesity.