Expanded Summary (6th grade reading level):

This paper talks about a patient who was using a type of plant called kratom to help him stop taking opioid drugs. Kratom is a plant that grows in Southeast Asia and can have effects similar to opioids. The patient had a serious heart condition and was using a device called a left ventricular assist device to help his heart work better.

The patient tried to stop using kratom, but he started having withdrawal symptoms like feeling sick, having joint pain, and feeling irritable. The doctors decided to try giving him a medication called gabapentin to help with the withdrawal symptoms. Gabapentin is a drug that can help with some types of withdrawal. The doctors found that the gabapentin helped the patient feel better and he was able to leave the hospital and continue his treatment.

This study was done in the real world, with a single patient, not in a lab. It involved a human patient, not animals

Key takeaways:

• Kratom can be addictive and cause withdrawal symptoms when stopped
• Gabapentin may be useful for treating kratom withdrawal symptoms
• More research is needed on the effects and risks of kratom use

For further reading:

Link: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S2667231520300467

Full Citation:

Giancola, N. B., Caplan, J. P., & McKnight, C. A. (2021). “A Kratom Konundrum”: Management of Kratom Withdrawal With Gabapentin in a Patient With a Left Ventricular Assist Device. Journal of the Academy of Consultation-Liaison Psychiatry, 62(3), 368-369.