The American journal on addictions
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Drug interactions are a leading cause of morbidity and mortality. Methadone and buprenorphine are frequently prescribed for the treatment of opioid addiction. Patients needing treatment with these medications often have co-occurring medical and mental illnesses that require medication treatment. ⋯ These clinical realities place patients being treated with methadone and buprenorphine at risk for potentially toxic drug interactions. A substantial literature has accumulated on drug interactions between either methadone or buprenorphine with other medications when ingested concomitantly by humans. This review summarizes current literature in this area.
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Abuse of prescription opioids is a growing problem. The number of methadone pain pills distributed now exceeds liquid methadone used in opioid treatment, and the increases in buprenorphine indicators provide evidence of the need to monitor and intervene to decrease the abuse of this drug. ⋯ Data on toxicities related to methadone or buprenorphine, particularly in combination with other prescribed drugs, are presented and clinical implications and considerations are offered. These findings underscore the need for physicians to be aware of potential toxicities and to educate their patients regarding these issues.
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The use of opioid medications for analgesia is associated with concerns about adverse side effects and the potential for development of physical dependence, tolerance, or addiction. Pain often is undertreated, which may provoke drug-seeking behavior by patients. ⋯ Important tools for addiction screening include the use of questionnaires, patient interviews, and lab tests. In this study, the physiological and behavioral consequences of chronic pain and its treatment with opioids, along with guidelines for prescribing opioid pain medication, are presented.