SUBOXONE is an opioid medication approved for the treatment
of opioid dependence in an office-based setting. In addition to suboxone there are zubsolv and bunavail for the treatment
of opioid dependence. SUBOXONE can also be dispensed for take-home use, just as any other medicine for other medical
conditions.
The primary active ingredient in SUBOXONE is buprenorphine.Because buprenorphine
is a partial opioid agonist, its opioid effects are limited compared with those produced by full opioid agonists, such as
oxycodone or heroin. SUBOXONE also contains naloxone, an opioid antagonist.
The naloxone
in SUBOXONE is there to discourage people from dissolving the tablet and injecting it. When SUBOXONE is placed under the tongue,
as directed, very little naloxone reaches the bloodstream, so what the patient feels are the effects of the buprenorphine.
However, if naloxone is injected, it can cause a person dependent on a full opioid agonist to quickly go into withdrawal.
SUBOXONE at the appropriate dose may be used to:
- Reduce illicit opioid use
- Help patients stay in treatment
By:
- Suppressing symptoms of opioid withdrawal
- Decreasing
cravings for opioids