Daniel Shearer1, Samantha Young2,3,4,5, Nadia Fairbairn2,3,6, Rupinder Brar3,7. 1. Department of Psychiatry, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada. 2. Department of Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada. 3. Interdepartmental Division of Addiction Medicine, St. Paul's Hospital, Vancouver, Canada. 4. Institute of Health Policy, Management and Evaluation, Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada. 5. General Internal Medicine, St. Michael's Hospital, Unity Health, Toronto, Canada. 6. British Columbia Centre on Substance Use, Vancouver, Canada. 7. Department of Family Practice, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada.
Abstract
INTRODUCTION AND AIMS: North America is currently experiencing an epidemic of opioid overdose deaths, driven by the proliferation of fentanyl in the street drug market. Although buprenorphine/naloxone (BUP/NX) is an evidence-based, first-line opioid agonist for the management of opioid use disorder, a key challenge in its prescribing lies in the fact that it can precipitate opioid withdrawal during its initial induction process. At this time, there is minimal literature on the BUP/NX induction process in individuals who use illicit fentanyl regularly. DESIGN, METHODS AND RESULTS: A case series from a Vancouver, Canada addiction medicine clinic of three fentanyl-exposed patients who experienced unexpected, precipitated withdrawal when initiating BUP/NX. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION: These cases describe incidents of precipitated opioid withdrawal occurring after unusually long periods of fentanyl abstention. Although fentanyl is experienced as a short-acting opioid, the drug persists much longer in the body's peripheral tissues. Here, we highlight the new challenges fentanyl may pose to current BUP/NX induction strategies, and explore the possibility of a long-acting pharmacokinetic effect of fentanyl in the setting of repeated illicit use.
INTRODUCTION AND AIMS: North America is currently experiencing an epidemic of opioid overdose deaths, driven by the proliferation of fentanyl in the street drug market. Although buprenorphine/naloxone (BUP/NX) is an evidence-based, first-line opioid agonist for the management of opioid use disorder, a key challenge in its prescribing lies in the fact that it can precipitate opioid withdrawal during its initial induction process. At this time, there is minimal literature on the BUP/NX induction process in individuals who use illicit fentanyl regularly. DESIGN, METHODS AND RESULTS: A case series from a Vancouver, Canada addiction medicine clinic of three fentanyl-exposed patients who experienced unexpected, precipitated withdrawal when initiating BUP/NX. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION: These cases describe incidents of precipitated opioid withdrawal occurring after unusually long periods of fentanyl abstention. Although fentanyl is experienced as a short-acting opioid, the drug persists much longer in the body's peripheral tissues. Here, we highlight the new challenges fentanyl may pose to current BUP/NX induction strategies, and explore the possibility of a long-acting pharmacokinetic effect of fentanyl in the setting of repeated illicit use.
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