In the treatment of heroin addiction, the narcotic agonist LAAM (Orlamm) and the mixed agonist-antagonist buprenorphine (Suboxone, Subutex) have advantages over methadone in terms of

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

LAAM and buprenorphine have advantages over methadone in terms of their considerably longer durations of action. This means that they can be administered less frequently and patients may have more stable levels of medication in their system. While all three medications are effective at suppressing the addicts' use of heroin and in withdrawal detoxification, buprenorphine and LAAM are preferred for their longer action. Additionally, buprenorphine has an advantage in that it has a ceiling effect, meaning that after a certain dose, further increases will not produce more opioid effects, reducing the risk of overdose.

In the Treatment of Heroin Addiction, the Narcotic Agonist LAAM