Explain When Naltrexone Might Be Appropriate for Opioid Dependence
January 2018
There will be more interest in using the opioid antagonist, naltrexone (Vivitrol, etc), for opioid use disorder.
The most common approach is to use an opioid agonist... buprenorphine or methadone. These can be started while the patient is still physically dependent on opioids...and continued indefinitely to reduce withdrawal symptoms and relapse.
Some obvious drawbacks are that these meds are sometimes diverted or misused...and they have prescribing or dispensing limitations.
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