Relationship of plasma buprenorphine and norbuprenorphine to withdrawal symptoms during dose induction, maintenance and withdrawal from sublingual buprenorphine

Abstract

during daily buprenorphine maintenance, plasma concentrations greater than 0.7 ng/ml of buprenorphine and norbuprenorphine were associated with minimal withdrawal symptoms. The long elimination half-life of buprenorphine suggested that increasing the buprenorphine dose with alternate-day administration may provide an effective, flexible therapy regimen for the treatment of opioid dependence.