Authors: Gunderson EW, Hjelmström P, Sumner M, 006 Study Investigators
Abstract
PURPOSE: Sublingual buprenorphine and combination buprenorphine/naloxone (BNX) are effective options for the treatment of opioid dependence. A BNX sublingual tablet approved by the US Food and Drug Administration for the induction and maintenance treatment of opioid-dependence in adults was developed as a higher-bioavailability formulation, allowing for a 30% lesser dose of buprenorphine with bioequivalent systemic exposure compared with another BNX sublingual tablet formulation. No data were previously available comparing the higher-bioavailability BNX sublingual tablet to generic buprenorphine or BNX sublingual film; we therefore evaluated treatment retention during induction and stabilization with t…

CONCLUSIONS: BUP induction dosing was guided by an objective measure of opioid withdrawal. Participants with higher baseline COWS whose BUP doses were raised more quickly were less likely to drop out in the first 7 days than those whose doses were raised slower.
SCIENTIFIC SIGNIFICANCE: This study supports the use of an objective measure of opioid withdrawal (COWS) during BUP induction to improve retention early in treatment. (Am J Addict 2015;XX:XX-XX).
PMID: 26400835 [PubMed – as supplied by publisher] (Source: American Journal on Addictions)

CONCLUSIONS: BUP induction dosing was guided by an objective measure of opioid withdrawal. Participants with higher baseline COWS whose BUP doses were raised more quickly were less likely to drop out in the first 7 days than those whose doses were raised slower.
SCIENTIFIC SIGNIFICANCE: This study supports the use of an objective measure of opioid withdrawal (COWS) during BUP induction to improve retention early in treatment. (Am J Addict 2015;XX:XX-XX).
PMID: 26400835 [PubMed – as supplied by publisher] (Source: American Journal on Addictions)

Medic 453 is dispatched for an unconscious female with a suspected narcotics overdose. In approximately four minutes, the EMTs reach a small, 1.5-story home and are met outside by two police officers. The officers enter the house and declare the scene to be secure and safe to enter.
The EMTs find a 40–45-year-old female unconscious and unresponsive on the floor of an upstairs bedroom. The patient’s boyfriend reports he found her about 15 minutes ago. The patient has a history of substance abuse—most recently heroin. The boyfriend claims she hasn’t been using heroin but is on Suboxone (buprenorphine and naloxone). No drug paraphernalia is found around the patient but track marks from prior use are evident on both arms.
The patient has shallow, labored breathing and no apparent traum…