How safe is SUBOXONE?
SUBOXONE can reduce respiratory rate. However, because buprenorphine is a partial opioid agonist, when taken alone it exhibits a ceiling dose beyond which no greater effect is observed on physiologic or subjective measures.8 This “ceiling effect” on respiratory depression—unlike full opioid agonists where respiratory depression continues increasing as the dose increases—means SUBOXONE by itself is unlikely to cause death in the event of an overdose.8 Despite of buprenorphine’s favorable safety profile, caution is advised regarding its concomitant use with other sedatives, such as benzodiazepines, due to the additive effects exerted by buprenorphine.9 Inappropriate concomitant use (eg, higher doses than prescribed, parenteral administration) of psychotropics (especially benzodiazepines) and buprenorphine appears to be one of the risk factors for buprenorphine-related fatalities.
