Description

Important Dosage And Administration Instructions

Administer SUBUTEX  sublingually as a single daily dose.

Consider the frequency of visits before the prescription.

Induction

Consider the type of opioid dependence prior to induction.  The time since last opioid use, and the degree or level of opioid dependence.

Patients Dependent On Heroin Or Other Short-Acting Opioid Products

Rapidly achieve titrated clinical effective dose is a recommendation. Give 2 mg to 4 mg incremental doses on the initial day of treatment. In some studies, gradual induction over several days led to a high rate of dropout during the induction period.

In a one-month study, patients received 8 mg of SUBUTEX on Day 1 and 16 mg SUBUTEX on Day 2. From Day 3 onward, patients received either SUBOXONE sublingual tablet or SUBUTEX as Day 2 based on their assigned treatment. accomplish Buprenorphine induction over 3-4 days.

Patients Dependent On Methadone Or Other Long-Acting subutex Products

Equally, Patients dependent upon methadone or other long-acting opioid products may be more susceptible to precipitated and prolonged withdrawal. Especially during induction than those on short-acting opioid products. Only administer subutex when moderate opioid withdrawal appears. Generally, not less than 24 hours after the patient last used a long-acting opioid product.

There is little controlled experience with the transfer of methadone-maintained patients to buprenorphine. Available evidence suggests that withdrawal signs and symptoms are possible during induction onto buprenorphine. Withdrawal appears more likely in patients maintained on higher doses of methadone (>30 mg) and when the first buprenorphine dose is administered shortly after the last methadone dose.