Using short-acting opioids in the hospital could improve care for patients experiencing opioid withdrawal without pain

Expanding the use of short-acting opioids in situations where pain is not present, but where methadone or buprenorphine provide inadequate relief, may benefit hospitalized patients suffering from opioid withdrawal symptoms. While current U.S. guidelines do not recommend short-acting opioids for these patients, an expert commentary from the University of Toronto and Harvard Medical School suggests that both wider implementation of current best practices and an expansion of the treatment options available could improve care. The commentary is published in Annals of Internal Medicine.

source https://medicalxpress.com/news/2021-11-short-acting-opioids-hospital-patients-experiencing.html