We know that starting buprenorphine in our patients with opioid use disorder improves a whole host of health-related outcomes, but we know much less about how long we should continue the medication. Researchers compare outcomes in patients who take buprenorphine for shorter and for longer. Their findings are revealing.

Buprenorphine is a first-line treatment for opioid use disorder, however, given buprenorphine to a patient who still has opioids in their system can precipitate severe withdrawal. Careful assessment of withdrawal can minimize the risk, but despite our best efforts, precipitated withdrawal can still occur. In this article, we review what to do for our patients experiencing buprenorphine-precipitated opioid withdrawal.

All clinicians need to know how to use buprenorphine under the DEAs new regulations. Meanwhile, the fentanyl crisis is changing how we use it. Noah Capurso shows us how to navigate these waters.

Buprenorphine and methadone are both first-line treatments for opioid use disorder during pregnancy. Though this recommendation has been long-standing, it is based on a rather small study that is nearly 15 years old. In the current study, researchers revisit the question of how best to treat opioid use disorder during pregnancy with a large observational cohort study.

Methadone treatment for OUD typically comes with a high level of supervision whereas buprenorphine is often flexibly dosed and taken at home. Here researchers wanted to know how patients of a closely supervised methadone clinic compared with those taking buprenorphine prescribed in an office setting. The findings might surprise you.

The process of starting a patient on buprenorphine, called an induction, can be a bit tricky and puts a patient at risk of a precipitated opioid withdrawal. In this article, we discuss the three most common buprenorphine induction approaches, review the pros and cons of each, and include straightforward guidance that will help you perform a successful buprenorphine induction for your patients.

As the overall prevalence of opioid use disorder has increased, so to has the prevalence of opioid use during pregnancy. Opioid use during pregnancy can put both your patient and the baby at risk, making proper treatment with MOUD essential. In this article, we outline the special considerations for the treatment of OUD during pregnancy and discuss how to prescribe MOUD safely. 

Incarcerated individuals with opioid use disorder are at an especially heightened risk of adverse outcomes.  The period immediately following release is a particularly vulnerable time, with a much elevated risk of fatal overdose. In this study, investigators report on the use of extended-release injectable buprenorphine in a correctional setting.