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Treatment of opioid-dependent adolescents and young adults with buprenorphine

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Abstract

Rising rates of opioid use among teenagers and young adults are a public health concern. Despite short durations of opioid use compared with those of adults, youth with opioid dependence have a host of co-occurring conditions, including polysubstance abuse, psychiatric disorders, hepatitis C infection, HIV risk, and high-risk sexual and criminal behaviors. Opioid-dependent youth typically are offered outpatient/residential treatment with brief detoxification, but one study showed that heroin users fare worse following residential treatment. Although abundant research supports the use of medication-assisted treatment for opioid-dependent adults, research is only recently emerging for youth. Buprenorphine, a partial opioid agonist, was proven safe and effective in improving abstinence from opioids in two controlled clinical trials. More research is needed to determine several clinically relevant areas: appropriate duration of agonist treatment, ways to enhance medication adherence, the value of integrated treatments for co-occurring conditions, and the role of opioid antagonists in opioid-dependent youth.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychiatry, Johns Hopkins University, c/o Mountain Manor Treatment Center, 3800 Frederick Avenue, Baltimore, MD, 21229, USA

    Geetha A. Subramaniam

Authors
  1. Geetha A. Subramaniam
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  2. Marc J. Fishman
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  3. George Woody
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Correspondence to Geetha A. Subramaniam.

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Subramaniam, G.A., Fishman, M.J. & Woody, G. Treatment of opioid-dependent adolescents and young adults with buprenorphine. Curr Psychiatry Rep 11, 360–363 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11920-009-0054-5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11920-009-0054-5

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