9
Buprenorphine
• Buprenorphine acts on the same parts of the brain as opioid
medications or drugs. It helps to stabilize them to reduce the
desire to use opioids and to prevent withdrawal symptoms.
• The FDA recently approved several new buprenorphine
formulations for treatment of opioid use disorder.
• Buprenorphine comes as tablets or films (for daily use),
extended-release injections (weekly or monthly) and an
extended-release implant that is placed under the skin (every
6 months). The dosage may be adjusted over time to find the
dose that works best for the patient.
• Many versions of this medication are combined with naloxone
to prevent possible misuse. Learn more about naloxone on
page 12. When misused (injected, snorted, or other) the
naloxone in the buprenorphine medication can bring on
withdrawal symptoms.
• Insurance coverage and price may help determine which form
should be chosen. The clinician will make sure the patient has
a dosage and form that meets the patient's medical needs.
• Patients may need to see their clinician frequently at the
beginning of treatment, until their addiction symptoms have
stabilized.
• Buprenorphine treatment can be started either at home or in a
doctor's office. Both options are considered safe and effective
when starting.
• Patients should wait until they are experiencing mild to
moderate opioid withdrawal symptoms before taking the first
dose of buprenorphine. If buprenorphine is taken too soon, it
can bring on withdrawal symptoms instead of relieving them.
• Many patients will need to continue taking buprenorphine for
an extended period of time. Stopping buprenorphine can put
the patient at risk for relapse and overdose. This should only
be done slowly with careful monitoring by the clinician.
• Not all clinicians can prescribe buprenorphine, so it is
important to find an approved clinician who is able to
prescribe this medication.
• Treatment with buprenorphine has been shown to reduce the
patient's risk for opioid overdose death.
