Buprenorphine for opioid dependence

Abstract

Opioid use disorder is a growing problem in the United States that can have devastating consequences on affected individuals. Buprenorphine is a partial mu-opioid agonist that can be used in the treatment of opioid dependence. In this article, the pharmacology of buprenorphine is discussed as is the dosing strategy. Formulations and product availability are mentioned and assessed. Several studies comparing the use of buprenorphine to methadone for opioid dependence are briefly reviewed.