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 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.

Pregnant patients with OUD may be reluctant to reveal their substance use for fear of losing their baby if reported to Child Protective Services. But this recent study shows that pregnant patients receiving medication treatment for OUD were more likely to leave the hospital with their baby than patients not receiving treatment.

Buprenorphine microinduction can be a useful method of starting BUP induction, however it is not always feasible, particularly in the hospital setting. Here, we discuss the development of an intravenous microinduction protocol that could provide an alternative to the usual sublingual and transdermal routes of administration. 

Dr. Hermes discusses the intricacies of medications for opioid use disorder by outlining the advantages, disadvantages, and side effect profile of each. She will help you choose the best treatment approach for your patients with opioid use disorder by providing a review of relevant literature and gives you language to use in the clinic.

Opioid agonist treatments, namely methadone and buprenorphine, save the lives of people with opioid use disorders. In this study, researchers break down how exactly these medications decrease mortality, and it’s not just by reducing overdoses.