Course Summary
Opioid use and addiction is a complex process that is caused by repeated exposure to the drugs, and there are genetic, psychological, social, and physical factors that contribute to its development. Repeated use of an opioid provides strong physical and psychological motivators to continue taking it and strong physical and psychological discouragements to stop. Buprenorphine-naloxone is discussed in terms of the treatment of opioid substance use and addiction with the primary goal of treatment being to discourage patients from using. Varied methods of drug use and existing treatment options aimed at prevention as well as the clinical risks and side effects of buprenorphine-naloxone treatment are reviewed.
Course Format
Homestudy
Course Syllabus
- I. Introduction
- II. Opioids: What They Are And How They Work
- III. Opioids: Mechanism Of Action And Clinical Effects
- IV. Prescribing Opioids
- V. Pharmacological Profile Of Buprenorphine And Naloxone
- 1. Buprenorphine
- 2. Naloxone
- VI. Opioid Use And Addiction
- 1. Physiological Effects
- 2. Withdrawal
- VII. Buprenorphine-Naloxone Treatment
- 1. Medically Supervised Opioid Withdrawal
- 2. Steps of Buprenorphine-Naloxone Use
- 3. Medication-Assisted Treatment for Opioid Use Disorder
- VIII. Buprenorphine Overdose and Pediatric Exposure
- IX. Summary
Author
Dana Bartlett, RN, BSN, MSN, MA, CSPI
Dana Bartlett is a professional nurse and author. His clinical experience includes 16 years of ICU and ER experience and over 27 years as a poison control center information specialist. Dana has published numerous CE and journal articles, written NCLEX material, textbook chapters, and more than 100 online CE articles, and done editing and reviewing for publishers such as Elsevier, Lippincott, and Thieme. He has written widely on the subject of toxicology and was a contributing editor, toxicology section, for Critical Care Nurse journal. He is currently employed at the Connecticut Poison Control Center. He lives in Wappingers Falls, NY.