Buprenorphine
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Substance Use Disorder Treatments
Summary
Buprenorphine is a partial opioid agonist that activates opioid receptors to a lesser degree than full agonists like heroin.
Clinically, Buprenorphine is used as a long-term maintenance treatment to prevent opioid withdrawal in patients with opioid dependence.
The drug is administered as a sublingual film that dissolves under the tongue.
Key Points
- Buprenorphine
- Mechanism
- Partial Opioid Agonist
- Binds to and activates opioid receptors, but does not cause as much of a “high” as other opioids
- Partial Opioid Agonist
- Clinical Use
- Prevents opioid withdrawal
- Dependence transferred from illegal opioid to buprenorphine
- Can cause withdrawal symptoms if used after full opioid agonists
- Used for long-term maintenance
- Prevents opioid withdrawal
- Administration
- Sublingual film
- Dissolves under the tongue
- Sublingual film
- Mechanism