Definition
buprenorphine
noun
- A synthetic opioid medication used to treat pain and opioid addiction, often administered as a sublingual tablet or patch.
Usage: medical/pharmaceutical; commonly abbreviated as bup in clinical settings
Examples
- Buprenorphine is frequently prescribed as a maintenance treatment for opioid use disorder.
- The patient was switched from methadone to buprenorphine due to better tolerability.
- Buprenorphine patches provide long-acting pain relief for chronic conditions.
- Many addiction treatment programs now offer buprenorphine as part of medication-assisted therapy.
- The sublingual form of buprenorphine dissolves under the tongue for quick absorption.