Intravenous buprenorphine/naloxone and concomitant oral pregabalin misuse: a case report

• Published in: Neuropsychiatric disease and treatment Vol. 14; pp. 3033 - 3035
• Main Authors: Kulaksızoğlu, Burak, Kara, Hüseyin, Bodur, Berkan, Kuloğlu, Murat
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New Zealand Dove Medical Press Limited 01-01-2018; Taylor & Francis Ltd; Dove Medical Press
• Subjects: Addiction; Addictions; Agonists; Alcohol; Anxiety; Anxiety disorders; Buprenorphine; Care and treatment; Case Report; Case reports; Detoxification; Detoxification (Substance abuse treatment); Drug abuse; Drug dependence; Drug dosages; drug misuse; Epilepsy; Heroin; Intravenous administration; intravenous buprenorphine-naloxone; Methadone; Mortality; Naloxone; Narcotics; Neuralgia; Opioid abuse; Opioid receptors; Oral administration; Pain management; Patient monitoring equipment; Pregabalin; Psychiatry; Substance abuse treatment; Urine; France; Turkey; pregabalin; intravenous buprenorphine–naloxone; drug misuse; opioid addiction
• DOI: 10.2147/NDT.S179688
• EISSN: 1178-2021
• ISSN: 1176-6328; 1178-2021

Opioid misuse and dependence are major medical and social concerns worldwide. Buprenorphine/naloxone combination (BNC) is a drug that has misuse potential and is used to treat opioid dependence, including buprenorphine and naloxone. Buprenorphine shows its pharmacological effects by binding to opioid receptors. Buprenorphine is a partial agonist and has smaller maximal effects compared to those of full agonists (heroin, methadone). Naloxone is a non-selective opiate antagonist added to buprenorphine for the prevention of intravenous diversion. BNC is used in the treatment of opioid dependence for detoxification and maintenance. The drug should be used as a sublingual film tablet. Pregabalin is used in the treatment of neuropathic pain, epilepsy and anxiety disorders. It is increasingly being reported as possessing a potential for misuse. In this article, we present a case of intravenous BNC and concomitant oral pregabalin misuse that developed in a monitored and treated patient for the reason of opioid dependence.