Treatment for Opioid Use Disorder: What's There to Learn?
Submitted by Ally
- 7 June 2017
This misuse of prescription opioids is a major public health challenge. Buprenorphine-naloxone (bup-nx) is typically used to treat opioid use disorders. However, the drug’s clinical trial primarily involved heroin users. It was therefore unclear to what extent its effects differ for those dependent on prescription opioids.
The Prescription Opioid Addiction Treatment Study (POATS) has reached a number of conclusions on this matter. Notable among which are:
- As is the case with heroin, when bup-nx treatment was maintained, around 50% of opioid use disorder patients achieved successful outcomes.
- A longer bup-nx weening-off period of 4 weeks instead of 1-2 weeks was better for maintaining abstinence, as well as reducing withdrawal symptoms.
- Better treatment outcomes result from never having used heroin, using opioids initially to treat pain rather than as a stimulant, and the absence of depressive symptoms.
- Additional drug counselling did not necessarily improve outcomes.
The POATS results are important for future guidelines for treating opioid use disorder. They support an individualised approach to behavioural intervention when combined with bup-nx treatment.