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Review
. 2008 May 6;148(9):662-70.
doi: 10.7326/0003-4819-148-9-200805060-00006.

Narrative review: buprenorphine for opioid-dependent patients in office practice

Lynn E Sullivan  1 , David A Fiellin
Affiliations
Review

Narrative review: buprenorphine for opioid-dependent patients in office practice

Lynn E Sullivan et al. Ann Intern Med. .

Abstract

The profile of opioid dependence in the United States is changing. Abuse of prescription opioids is more common than that of illicit opioids: Recent data indicate that approximately 1.6 million persons abuse or are dependent on prescription opioids, whereas 323,000 abuse or are dependent on heroin. Despite this prevalence, nearly 80% of opioid-dependent persons remain untreated. One option for expanding treatment is the use of buprenorphine and the buprenorphine-naloxone combination. Buprenorphine is a partial opioid agonist that can be prescribed by trained physicians and dispensed at pharmacies. This article addresses the clinical presentation of a patient with opioid dependence and describes the relatively new practice of office-based treatment with buprenorphine-naloxone. The different components of treatment; the role of the physician who provides this treatment; and the logistics of treating this growing, multifaceted patient population are also examined.

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