Sublingual tablets Film (package)<unk>  is used for the treatment of opioid use disorder. Long term outcomes are generally better with use of<unk>  than attempts at stopping opioid use altogether. This includes a lower risk of overdose with medication use. Due to the high binding affinity and low activation at the opioid receptor, cravings and withdrawal for opioids are decreased while preventing a person from getting high and relapsing on another opioid. The combination of the two medications is preferred over buprenorphine alone for maintenance treatment due to the presence of naloxone in the formulation, which helps discourage intravenous use.<unk>  has been found to be effective for treating opioid dependence, and serves as a recommended first line medication according to the U.S. National Institute on Drug Abuse. The medication is an effective maintenance therapy for opioid dependence and has generally similar efficacy to methadone. Both<unk>  and are substantially more effective than abstinence-based treatment. Prescribers need a Drug Addiction Treatment Act (DATA 2000) waiver to prescribe<unk>  for opioid dependence. Because it may be prescribed out of an office setting (as opposed to methadone which requires specialized centers),<unk>  allows for more freedom of administration for the person. It also thus comes with more risks in this vulnerable population.<unk>  may be recommended for socially stable people who use opioids who may not be able to retrieve medications from a center daily, who may have another condition requiring regular primary care visits, or who may have jobs or daily lives that require they maintain all their faculties and cannot take a sedating medication.<unk>  is also recommended over methadone in people who may be at high risk of methadone toxicity, such as the elderly, those taking high doses of benzodiazepines or other sedating substances, concomitant alcohol use disorder, those with a lower level of opioid tolerance, and those at high risk of prolonged QT interval. It is also helpful to use the medication in combination with psychosocial support and counseling for the person. Available forms<unk>  is available in sublingual formulations (that is, products that are dissolved under the tongue). There is no evidence that the tablet formulation is easier to divert and use in ways other than intended by the prescriber compared to the film formulation, or that the tablet formulation has a higher risk for accidental ingestion by children. There are various pharmacokinetic differences between sublingual formulations.
Buprenorphine/naloxone
Oxycodone/naloxone
Buprenorphine/naltrexone
Fentanyl/fluanisone
Buprenorphine/samidorphan
Dextromethorphan/quinidine
Naloxone
Nalorphine dinicotinate