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In medicine, tapering is the practice of gradually reducing the dosage of a medication to reduce or discontinue it. Generally, tapering is done is to avoid or minimize withdrawal symptoms that arise from neurobiological adaptation to the drug.
Methadone is an opioid agonist also used to treat opioid dependence. Similar to Buprenorphine, methadone reduces cravings to opioids and symptoms of withdrawals. [24] It also has detoxifying effects against morphine. [24] However, as it is a full agonist and not a partial agonist like Buprenorphine, it has addictive properties.
The opioid epidemic took hold in the U.S. in the 1990s. Percocet, OxyContin and Opana became commonplace wherever chronic pain met a chronic lack of access to quality health care, especially in Appalachia. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention calls the prescription opioid epidemic the worst of its kind in U.S. history.
Many prescription and legal nonprescription substances can also cause withdrawal symptoms when individuals stop consuming them, even if they were taken as directed by a physician. The route of administration, whether intravenous , intramuscular , oral , or otherwise can also play a role in determining the severity of withdrawal symptoms.
Toby Fischer lives in South Dakota, where just 27 doctors are certified to prescribe buprenorphine -- a medication that blunts the symptoms of withdrawal from heroin and opioid painkillers. A Huffington Post analysis of government data found nearly half of all counties in America don't have such a certified physician. So every month, Fischer and his mother drive to Colorado to pick up their ...
One way to explain the stubbornness of the epidemic is to look at the availability of the maintenance medication buprenorphine, sold most commonly under the brand name Suboxone. Taking the medication (or methadone), along with counseling, is an opioid addict’s best chance for recovery, public health experts say.
Dopesick focuses on "the epicenter of America's struggle with opioid addiction" across the U.S. on how individuals and families are affected by it, on the alleged conflicts of interest involving Purdue Pharma and various government agencies such as the Food and Drug Administration and the United States Department of Justice, and finally, on the legal case against Purdue Pharma and their ...
An opioid-like drug that’s easily found at convenience stores across North Carolina is under scrutiny from state lawmakers. Here's why. NC considers regulating ‘gas station heroin’ as FDA ...