“Retention in methadone treatment is associated with a substantial reduction in the risk for all-cause and overdose mortality in patients dependent on opioids, according to a study published in the BMJ.
“Our review suggests that time spent in opioid substitution treatment with methadone is associated with an average reduction of 25 deaths/1000 person years,” the authors stated. “Findings also suggest that opioid substitution treatment with buprenorphine could be associated with a reduction in mortality, with a similar risk across all time in treatment (about 4 deaths/1000 person years) consistent with its safety profile and a risk after cessation higher in the first 4 weeks than in the remainder of time out of treatment.”
Source: ClinicalAdvisor.com – May 3, 2017
