Buprenorphine Option Did Not Improve Pain, Reduce Opioid Dosage

When patients were given the option of switching from high-dose opioids to buprenorphine, researchers observed minimal improvements in pain and reductions in opioid use. The data, published in JAMA Internal Medicine, also showed outcomes were similar whether patients switched medications or not.¹

“Persons receiving long-term opioid therapy (LTOT) for pain, especially at high doses, typically experience physical dependence. In physical dependence, reducing or discontinuing opioids may cause unpleasant withdrawal symptoms, including increased pain and dysphoria, that can last for weeks, months, or even years,” wrote authors of the study.

The use of…