The Treatment of Opioid Addiction: Suboxone® Therapy
Physical dependence is typically associated with tolerance and withdrawal, an adverse physiological effect that occurs blood and tissue concentrations of a drug decline.
Psychological dependence (addiction) involves continued use of a drug/substance for reasons other than tolerance and withdrawal, such as to experience a drug’s pleasurable effects.
Suboxone® (buprenorphine) is the first opioid medication approved for the treatment of opioid dependence in a private office setting. Buprenorphine is a partial mu receptor agonist that blocks other opioids from attaching to the mu receptors in the brain.
Suboxone® is effective in rapidly controlling symptoms of withdrawal, physical cravings for opiates, and greatly attenuates the effect of self-administered opioids in patients who continue to episodically use illicit narcotics. It can be used short-term to wean a patient off narcotics without the unpleasant withdrawal experienced by abrupt cessation of opioids. It can also be used for long-term treatment to achieve control of withdrawal symptoms so patients can fully participate in medical, psychosocial and psychiatric treatments when appropriate.
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To learn more about these therapy techniques and to find out if you’re a candidate, request an appointment or contact us.
