[A new candidate for intensive care: patients undergoing rapid opiate withdrawal, and their care]. / Un nuevo candidato para cuidados intensivos: "el paciente que se va a someter a desintoxicación ultracorta por opiáceos, y sus cuidados".

Withdrawal from drugs currently is and interesting topic because of the repercussions it has on different aspects of life, particularly: health, work, family and social relationships, etc. In this article we report a new system for minimizing the adverse effects of withdrawal from opiates (which usually are prolonged), and for carrying out withdrawal as quickly and effectively as possible. A protocol is described in detail, as well as special nursing care. This protocol is called ultrashort withdrawal (24 hours) and it has been developed and used in the intensive care department of the General University Hospital of Murcia (Spain), in collaboration with the center's hospital detoxification unit.