If a patient is prescribed Suboxone, it could cause serious health issues if combined with other drugs.

What is Suboxone?

Suboxone is a brand name for a medication called buprenorphine. It is used to treat opioid addiction and is often part of a recovery program for substance addictions, such as heroin, and is referred to as medication-assisted therapy.

The buprenorphine binds opioid receptors to prevent cravings and it also reduces withdrawal symptoms. The medication does have a “ceiling effect” where the patient will get used to the medication, regardless of taking increased doses. This produces weaker effects, like euphoria. These properties of buprenorphine reduce its potential for abuse while lowering the effects of a physical dependency on opioids.

The naloxone component of Suboxone works by blocking opioid receptors from producing addictive euphoric sensations.

If a patient where to misuse the medication and use it to get high, the naloxone will impede the buprenorphine component form binding to the opioid receptors, and the patient will experience unpleasant withdrawal symptoms. This is how Suboxone helps addiction patients recover and live a normal life.

What Drugs Can Interact with Suboxone?

It is important to understand how Suboxone can react with other drugs, especially drugs which effect the central nervous system, such as benzodiazepines like Xanax or Valium, as they can cause respiratory failure and death when combined.

The dangers of combining these two drugs was demonstrated in a study, which showed that 50.1% of buprenorphine overdose deaths also involved benzodiazepines.

Mixing Suboxone with cocaine can also be dangerous, as there is evidence to show that it will reduce the effects of the suboxone. Patients who combine these two drugs show little motivation to get clean and are at risk of developing a more severe drug addiction.

Alcohol can also be dangerous when mixed with Suboxone, as it can cause increased depression of the central nervous system and effects of mixing alcohol with Suboxone include:

• Low blood pressure
• Deep sedation
• Slowed breathing
• Coma
• Death

The study also showed that alcohol was present in the systems of over 50% of all buprenorphine overdose deaths.

Treatment Options

The benefits of Suboxone are far greater than any other opioid drugs, and its effects in helping against addiction are proven. It is a key part of medication-assisted therapy, and helps patients with an addiction to opioids, but there are also risks when taking it. The buprenorphine can be habit-forming, and thus some patients can abuse the medication. However, is used as instructed, Suboxone is a highly effective treatment for those who suffer with an opioid addiction.

When Suboxone is combined with correct treatment plans, designed by addiction specialists, it can be a very effective form of medication in helping patients with opioid addiction. It is important for the physician to monitor any patient taking Suboxone closely, as this ensures a long-term success.