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All Friday Fun Fact Marvelous Monday Messy Media News You Can Use Tuesday Talk
11/6/2018 Vivitrol or Suboxone - Does it MAT-ter?Check out our latest News You Can Use post by Rachel Davies!What was studied and why?For the first time, a large, controlled study directly compared the effectiveness of the following two medication assisted treatment (MAT) options for opioid use disorders (OUDs): injectable extended-release naltrexone (AKA “Vivitrol”), and buprenorphine-naloxone (AKA “Suboxone”). Previously, more evidence was available supporting the effectiveness of Suboxone than supporting Vivitrol. Suboxone, however, may not be appropriate for all patients. It partially activates mu opioid receptors (MORs) in the brain, perpetuating opioid dependence, though by safer means. Vivitrol is a much different drug. It does not produce activation of MORs, and may be a better option for patients who prefer to enter abstinence-based addiction recovery as soon as possible. Directly comparing the two drugs allowed researchers to investigate whether Vivitrol could be similarly effective as Suboxone at treating OUDs. How was it studied?The researchers identified 570 adults who were actively using opioids and had been diagnosed with OUDs. Half of these patients were assigned to receive Suboxone, and the other half were assigned to receive Vivitrol. This “controlled” design ensured that different severities of OUDs were equally represented in both treatment groups. The patients received treatment for 24 weeks. during this time the researchers recorded if and when the patients returned to opioid misuse. With this data collected, researchers determined if there were any relationships between patient outcomes and the drug they received as treatment. What was found?It was more difficult to start patients on Vivitrol, as patients had to detox from opioids first. Following detox, similar rates of relapse and side effects were found in each group. What is the bottom line?Vivitrol is more difficult treatment to start but is just as effective as Suboxone. Want to learn more?Are you worried about your substance use or are you in recovery? Check out the resources provided by VCU’s Rams in Recovery. AuthorsBlog post: Rachel Davies
Article: Lee, J.D. , et al. (2017). Comparative effectiveness of extended-release naltrexone versus buprenorphine-naloxone for opioid relapse prevention (X:BOT): a multicentre, open-label, randomised controlled trial. The Lancet, pp 1-10. Comments are closed.
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