Gradual dose taper following chronic buprenorphine.
This paper describes the time course of withdrawal and relapse in opioid-dependent volunteers (n = 8) who completed a gradual outpatient buprenorphine dose taper (28 days). Compliance with treatment was very high, as evidenced by clinic attendance (96-100%). Urinalysis showed that 6 of the 8 volunteers had relapsed to opiates by the end of the dose taper, even though reports of withdrawal were generally low. Relapse may have been triggered by a desire to re-experience the drug's positive subjective effects, craving, or low motivation to remain drug-free. A longer taper combined with an expanded range of treatments may improve prognosis.
Becker
A B
AB
Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Md., USA.
Strain
E C
EC
Bigelow
G E
GE
Stitzer
M L
ML
Johnson
R E
RE
D000328:Adult; D002047:Buprenorphine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009042:Motivation; D009292:Narcotic Antagonists / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D009294:Narcotics / Q000009:adverse effects*; D009293:Opioid-Related Disorders / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000652:urine; D012008:Recurrence; D013375:Substance Withdrawal Syndrome / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
D009292:Narcotic Antagonists; D009294:Narcotics; D002047:Buprenorphine