11390 east Via Linda Suite 103 Scottsdale, AZ 85259
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What is Buprenorphine?
At the correct dose, Buprenorphine may suppress cravings and withdrawal symptoms and block the effects of other opioids. Buprenorphine (´bu•pre•´nôr•fen) is not new. It was first patented in 1969 and has been used in the U.S. and Europe to treat pain and opioid addiction for decades. Buprenorphine is a semi-synthetic opioid and is a partial agonist.
Buprenorphine (´bu•pre•´nôr•fen)
Far from new, Buprenorphine was first patented in 1969 and has been used in the U.S. to treat pain and in Europe to treat pain and opioid addiction for decades.
Opioid Agonists are drugs that cause an opioid effect; i.e., fentanyl, heroin, oxycodone, hydrocodone, and methadone.
Opioid Antagonists are drugs that block and reverse the effects of agonist drugs. Narcan® is an antagonist and is used to reverse heroin overdoses.
Sublocade, Suboxone, Buprenorphine can act as both an agonist and antagonist. It attaches to the opioid receptors but only activates them partially, enough to suppress withdrawal and cravings, but not enough to cause extreme euphoria in opioid-tolerant patients.
Buprenorphine is a Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved medication for opioid use disorder.
Buprenorphine is a partial opioid agonist at opioid receptors in the brain. It reduces opioid withdrawal symptoms and opioid cravings and protects against opioid overdose with a return to opioid use.
As a partial agonist, it has a ceiling effect, meaning that additional dosing does not produce additional effects once the receptors are occupied. This means Buprenorphine is safer than other opioids with a reduced risk of overdose and death. However, it also means that people physically dependent on opioids will not experience euphoria when taking Buprenorphine.
Buprenorphine is available in several formulations: sublingual or buccal dissolvable tablets or films (Suboxone, Zubsolv, Bunavail, Subutex) and long-acting injectable (Sublocade) formulations. Sublingual and buccal formulations combine Buprenorphine with naloxone in a 4:1 ratio, intended to deter both medication diversion and use of the medication by injection.
An individual must already be experiencing moderate opioid withdrawal to initiate Buprenorphine. If individuals begin Buprenorphine before experiencing moderate withdrawal, this can cause opioid withdrawal. With the wide availability of illicitly manufactured fentanyl and its analogues in substances acquired on the street and because fentanyl and its analogues can remain in fatty tissue, nonconventional strategies, such as buprenorphine micro-induction dosing or macro-induction dosing, may need to be utilized instead of conventional approaches to initiate Buprenorphine successfully.
SUBOXONE sublingual film is supplied as an orange rectangular film with a white printed logo in four dosage strengths:
Dosage Strengths:
- Buprenorphine 2 mg/naloxone 0.5 mg,
- Buprenorphine 4 mg/naloxone 1 mg,
- Buprenorphine 8 mg/naloxone 2 mg and
- Buprenorphine 12 mg/naloxone 3 mg
Dosage Forms and Strengths
Medical X is proud to provide individualized treatment and care to each patient.
Your medical history, substance history, and personal history assist our medical staff in providing the best possible chance of long-term sobriety. Additionally, we offer various outpatient treatment options, ranging from one visit, monthly visits, at-home detox, detox in a clinical setting for a few days, or relapse prevention. This is all discussed in the initial consultation, where a treatment plan is created in a collaborative environment conducive to the best possible outcome for you.
Medical X
Mon – Fri: 9:00 AM -5:00 PM
Weekends: Optional
480-219-0055
