Abstract
Buprenorphine is a partial agonist at μ opioid receptors and has been used extensively in pain management. Its use in the management of opioid dependence has occurred in the last decade although its potential has been recognized from the late 1970s. Buprenorphine provides several advantages in the management of opioid dependence. The medication has a good margin of safety, and its partial agonist effect reduces buprenorphine’s ability to cause the fatal respiratory depression which is associated with ingestion of full agonist opioids. This margin of safety allows multiples of the daily dose to be dispensed less than daily. This has provided an advantage over methadone, which cannot be safely administered in multiples of the daily dose due to fatal overdose risk.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Title of host publication | Pharmacotherapies for the Treatment of Opioid Dependence: Efficacy, Cost-effectiveness, and Implementation Guidelines |
| Editors | Richard P. Mattick, Robert Ali, Nicholas Lintzeris |
| Place of Publication | U.K. |
| Publisher | InformaHealthcare |
| Pages | 193-226 |
| Number of pages | 34 |
| Edition | 1 |
| ISBN (Electronic) | 9780203414088 |
| ISBN (Print) | 9781841844008 |
| Publication status | Published - 2009 |
