Warnings & Recalls for Suboxone
Suboxone, like other medications in its class, runs a serious risk for dependence and misuse. Due to this
increased risk for abuse, Suboxone is tightly monitored under the
Drug Addiction Treatment Act (DATA) to only be prescribed by physicians with specific qualifications, who must receive permission before giving this medication to a patient.
Suboxone
is contraindicated in patients who have a hypersensitivity to buprenorphine.
Some warnings and precautions before taking
Suboxone | Buprenorphine are:
- Abdominal conditions which interfere with diagnosis or clinical course
- Acute alcoholism
- Adrenal cortical insuffiency, or Addison disease
- Biliary tract dysfunction which can increase intracholedochal pressure
- Central nervous system depression, or coma
- Patients with head injuries, intracranial lesions or other conditions which might increase cerebrospinal fluid pressure elevation
- Compromised respiratory function such as patients with COPD, cor pulmonale, decreased pulmonary reserve, hypoxia, hypercapnia, or preexisting respiratory depression
- Concurrent use with benzodiazepines
- Delirium tremens
- Elderly or debilitated patients
- Hepatic events (eg, cytolytic hepatitis, hepatitis with jaundice, acute liver failure, hepatic necrosis, hepatorenal syndrome, hepatic encephalopathy), which can result in death.
- Hypothyroidism
- Myxedema
- Kyphoscolioisis
- Non-tolerant patients, which can result in death
- Orthostatic hypotension
- Prostatic hypertrophy or urethral stricture
- Respiratory depression
- Toxic psychosis
If you or a loved one has suffered adverse side effects as a result of taking this drug, please do not hesitate to
contact someone who can help you.
Suboxone Treatment and Use
Suboxone | Buprenorphine & Naloxone is a drug classified as a semi-synthetic opioid, which is used to manage moderate, chronic pain, control moderate and acute pain in patients who are non-opioid tolerant(in low doses), and treat opioid addiction. Suboxone is manufactured by Reckitt Benckiser as a sublingual film, although it was originally available in the 1980s as an analgesic, usually as a sublingual tablet.
In October of 2002, the FDA approved Suboxone as a long-term replacement therapy for opioid addiction and dependency. Under the Controlled Substances Act, Suboxone is labelled as a Schedule III narcotic and is one of the few medications prescribed as a treatment for opioid dependence.
How does Suboxone work?
Suboxone consists of two different medications: buprenorphine, which is an opioid partial agonist-antagonist, and naloxone, which is is an opioid agonist. Buprenorphine works similarly to other opioids, such as morphine or codeine, but produces a minimal euphoric effect. When used alone, naloxone inhibits the effects of opioids, but when used with buprenorphine helps to treat opiate addiction. This in turn increases the likelihood of the efficacy of Suboxone in opioid dependency treatment.
Suboxone Dosage
Suboxone is part of a regimen that includes the medication Subutex. Where Subutex is prescribed during the initial phases of treatment, Suboxone is used for maintenance throughout the treatment.
Suboxone Film comes in two strengths:
- buprenorphine/naloxone 2 mg/0.5 mg
- buprenorphine/naloxone 8 mg/2 mg
The recommended daily dose stands at 16/4 mg buprenorphine/naloxone, although this dosage may be adjusted as time goes on.
Patients who are taking Suboxone must be closely monitored, particularly in the beginning stages of treatment, as this medication is subject to abuse.
If you or a loved one has suffered adverse side effects as a result of taking this drug, please do not hesitate to contact someone who can help you.
