| TABLE 2. Summary of characteristics
of major treatment medications for opioid abuse and dependence |
|
|
|
Suppress
|
Physical
|
Precipitate
|
Abuse
|
Treatment
|
Risk of
|
Dosing
|
Route of
|
Take-
|
Analgesic
|
Drug
abuse
treatment
|
|
Methadone
|
Agonist
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
No
|
Yes
|
Good
|
Yes
|
Every 24
hr
|
Oral
|
Yes
|
10-20 mg
|
60-80
mg/day
|
|
LAAM
|
Agonist
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
No
|
Modest
|
Good
|
Yes
|
Every
48-72 hr
|
Oral
|
No
|
NAb
|
70-120
mg X
3/week
|
|
Buprenorphine
|
Partial
agonist
|
Yes
|
Mild
|
Variable
|
Yes
|
Good
|
No
|
Every
24-48 hr
|
Sublingual
|
No
|
0.3 mg
|
4-16
mg/day
|
|
Naltrexone
|
Antagonist
|
No
|
No
|
Yes
|
No
|
Poor
|
No
|
Every
24-72 hr
|
Oral
|
Yes
|
NA
|
50 mg/
day
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| a w/d, opioid withdrawal or abstinence syndrome. |
| b NA, not applicable. |
| Back to Chapter |