What is methadone used for in addiction treatment?

Methadone is utilized as a form of opioid replacement therapy to treat individuals suffering from opioid use disorder. This type of treatment helps manage dependence and reduces the risk of death associated with the condition. When patients do not benefit from or cannot tolerate treatments involving methadone or buprenorphine, alternative approaches like heroin-assisted treatment may be considered.

What we know

• People with opioid use disorder are often treated with opioid replacement therapy using methadone or buprenorphine. [5]
• Opioid replacement therapy using medications like methadone reduces the risk of death for individuals with opioid use disorder. [5]
• Heroin-assisted treatment is prescribed to opioid addicts who do not benefit from or cannot tolerate established opioid replacement therapy drugs such as methadone. [4]

Where to go next

• compared withHow does buprenorphine compare to full agonists like methadone?
• the bigger pictureWhat is opioid use disorder?
• a case in pointHow does heroin-assisted treatment work for patients who fail methadone therapy?
• how we knowWhat are the general approaches in the treatment and management of addiction?
• how it workedWhat medications are used in medication-assisted treatment for substance use disorders?
• an unexpected connectionHow is semi-synthetic heroin prescribed as an alternative to methadone?Patients who fail or cannot tolerate standard methadone replacement therapy may be prescribed medical heroin in certain countries.

Sources

• [1]Treatment and management of addiction (Wikidata Q130342008) · CC0 1.0
• [2]Treatment and management of addiction · CC BY-SA 4.0
• [3]Buprenorphine · CC BY-SA 4.0
• [4]Heroin-assisted treatment · CC BY-SA 4.0
• [5]Opioid use disorder · CC BY-SA 4.0

Your path

1. How did Babylonian mathematics influence time and geometry?
2. /What does Charles William Mitchell's painting Hypatia show?
3. /What is methadone used for in addiction treatment?