buprenorphine Hydrochloride Injection Dosage and Administration

DOSAGE AND ADMINISTRATION

Buprenorphine hydrochloride should be prescribed only by healthcare professionals who are knowledgeable about the use of opioids and how to mitigate the associated risks.
Use the lowest effective dosage for the shortest duration of time consistent with individual patient treatment goals [see WARNINGS]. Because the risk of overdose increases as opioid doses increase, reserve titration to higher doses of buprenorphine hydrochloride for patients in whom lower doses are insufficiently effective and in whom the expected benefits of using a higher dose opioid clearly outweigh the substantial risks.
Many acute pain conditions (e.g., the pain that occurs with a number of surgical procedures or acute musculoskeletal injuries) require no more than a few days of an opioid analgesic. Clinical guidelines on opioid prescribing for some acute pain conditions are available.
There is variability in the opioid analgesic dose and duration needed to adequately manage pain due both to the cause of pain and to individual patient factors. Initiate the dosing regimen for each patient individually, taking into account the patient’s underlying cause and severity of pain, prior analgesic treatment and response, and risk factors for addiction, abuse, and misuse [see WARNINGS].
Respiratory depression can occur at any time during opioid therapy, especially when initiating and following dosage increases with buprenorphine hydrochloride. Consider this risk when selecting an initial dose and when making dose adjustments [see WARNINGS].
Inspect buprenorphine hydrochloride injection for particulate matter and discoloration prior to administration.

Dosing

Adults and Pediatric Patients over 12 years of age

The initial starting dose is 1 mL buprenorphine hydrochloride injection (0.3 mg buprenorphine) given by deep intramuscular or slow (over at least 2 minutes) intravenous injection at up to 6-hour intervals, as needed.

Repeat once (up to 0.3 mg) if required, 30 to 60 minutes after initial dosage, giving consideration to previous dose pharmacokinetics, and thereafter only as needed. In high-risk patients (e.g., elderly, debilitated, presence of respiratory disease, etc.) and/or in patients where other CNS depressants are present, such as in the immediate postoperative period, the dose should be limited to the minimum required.

Extra caution should be exercised with the intravenous route of administration, particularly with the initial dose. Occasionally, it may be necessary to administer single doses of up to 0.6 mg to adults depending on the severity of the pain and the response of the patient. This dose should only be given intramuscularly and only to adult patients who are not in a high risk category [see WARNINGS, PRECAUTIONS]. At this time, there are insufficient data to recommend single doses greater than 0.6 mg for long-term use.

Pediatric Patients

Buprenorphine hydrochloride has been used in pediatric patients 2 to 12 years of age at doses between 2 to 6 micrograms/kg of body weight given every 4 to 6 hours. There is insufficient experience to recommend a dose in infants below the age of two years, single doses greater than 6 micrograms/kg of body weight, or the use of a repeat or second dose at 30 to 60 minutes (such as is used in adults). Since there is some evidence that not all pediatric patients clear buprenorphine faster than adults, fixed interval or "round-the-clock" dosing should not be undertaken until the proper inter-dose interval has been established by clinical observation of the child. Healthcare providers should recognize that, as with adults, some pediatric patients may not need to be remedicated for 6 to 8 hours.

Safety and Handling

Buprenorphine hydrochloride injection is supplied in sealed cartridges and poses no known environmental risk to healthcare providers. Accidental dermal exposure should be treated by removal of any contaminated clothing and rinsing the affected area with water.

Buprenorphine is a potent opioid and, like all drugs of this class, has been associated with abuse and dependence among healthcare providers. To control the risk of diversion, it is recommended that measures appropriate to the health care setting be taken to provide rigid accounting, control of wastage, and restriction of access.

Parenteral drug products should be inspected visually for particulate matter and discoloration prior to administration, whenever solution and container permit.

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Dosage and Administration

DOSAGE AND ADMINISTRATION

Buprenorphine hydrochloride should be prescribed only by healthcare professionals who are knowledgeable about the use of opioids and how to mitigate the associated risks.
Use the lowest effective dosage for the shortest duration of time consistent with individual patient treatment goals [see WARNINGS]. Because the risk of overdose increases as opioid doses increase, reserve titration to higher doses of buprenorphine hydrochloride for patients in whom lower doses are insufficiently effective and in whom the expected benefits of using a higher dose opioid clearly outweigh the substantial risks.
Many acute pain conditions (e.g., the pain that occurs with a number of surgical procedures or acute musculoskeletal injuries) require no more than a few days of an opioid analgesic. Clinical guidelines on opioid prescribing for some acute pain conditions are available.
There is variability in the opioid analgesic dose and duration needed to adequately manage pain due both to the cause of pain and to individual patient factors. Initiate the dosing regimen for each patient individually, taking into account the patient’s underlying cause and severity of pain, prior analgesic treatment and response, and risk factors for addiction, abuse, and misuse [see WARNINGS].
Respiratory depression can occur at any time during opioid therapy, especially when initiating and following dosage increases with buprenorphine hydrochloride. Consider this risk when selecting an initial dose and when making dose adjustments [see WARNINGS].
Inspect buprenorphine hydrochloride injection for particulate matter and discoloration prior to administration.

Dosing

Adults and Pediatric Patients over 12 years of age

The initial starting dose is 1 mL buprenorphine hydrochloride injection (0.3 mg buprenorphine) given by deep intramuscular or slow (over at least 2 minutes) intravenous injection at up to 6-hour intervals, as needed.

Repeat once (up to 0.3 mg) if required, 30 to 60 minutes after initial dosage, giving consideration to previous dose pharmacokinetics, and thereafter only as needed. In high-risk patients (e.g., elderly, debilitated, presence of respiratory disease, etc.) and/or in patients where other CNS depressants are present, such as in the immediate postoperative period, the dose should be limited to the minimum required.

Extra caution should be exercised with the intravenous route of administration, particularly with the initial dose. Occasionally, it may be necessary to administer single doses of up to 0.6 mg to adults depending on the severity of the pain and the response of the patient. This dose should only be given intramuscularly and only to adult patients who are not in a high risk category [see WARNINGS, PRECAUTIONS]. At this time, there are insufficient data to recommend single doses greater than 0.6 mg for long-term use.

Pediatric Patients

Buprenorphine hydrochloride has been used in pediatric patients 2 to 12 years of age at doses between 2 to 6 micrograms/kg of body weight given every 4 to 6 hours. There is insufficient experience to recommend a dose in infants below the age of two years, single doses greater than 6 micrograms/kg of body weight, or the use of a repeat or second dose at 30 to 60 minutes (such as is used in adults). Since there is some evidence that not all pediatric patients clear buprenorphine faster than adults, fixed interval or "round-the-clock" dosing should not be undertaken until the proper inter-dose interval has been established by clinical observation of the child. Healthcare providers should recognize that, as with adults, some pediatric patients may not need to be remedicated for 6 to 8 hours.

Safety and Handling

Buprenorphine hydrochloride injection is supplied in sealed cartridges and poses no known environmental risk to healthcare providers. Accidental dermal exposure should be treated by removal of any contaminated clothing and rinsing the affected area with water.

Buprenorphine is a potent opioid and, like all drugs of this class, has been associated with abuse and dependence among healthcare providers. To control the risk of diversion, it is recommended that measures appropriate to the health care setting be taken to provide rigid accounting, control of wastage, and restriction of access.

Parenteral drug products should be inspected visually for particulate matter and discoloration prior to administration, whenever solution and container permit.

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