Table II.
Medication | Action | Usual effective dose | Frequency | Adverse effects |
---|---|---|---|---|
Methadone | Opioid agonist | 20–100mg orally | Daily | Constipation, respiratory depression, dizziness, sedation, diaphoresis |
Buprenorphine | Partial opioid agonist | 8–24mg sublingually | Daily to thrice weekly | Constipation, headache |
Buprenorphine/ naloxone | Partial opioid agonist/opioid antagonist | 8–24mg sublingually | Daily to thrice weekly | Constipation, headache; not to be used in pregnant patients |
Naltrexone | Opioid antagonist | 50–100mg orally | Daily | Hepatitis, hepatic failure, concomitant use of opioid; not to be used in pregnant patients |