Buprenorphine for Opioid Use Disorder in the Emergency Department: A Retrospective Chart Review
Introduction: Emergency care providers routinely treat patients with acute presentations and sequelae of opioid use disorder. An emergency physician and pharmacist implemented a protocol using buprenorphine for the treatment of patients with opioid withdrawal at an academic, Level I trauma center. W...
| Main Authors: | , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
eScholarship Publishing, University of California
2020-08-01
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| Series: | Western Journal of Emergency Medicine |
| Online Access: | https://escholarship.org/uc/item/1z73c517 |
| _version_ | 1819173631745327104 |
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| author | Kathy T. LeSaint Brent Klapthor Ralph C. Wang Curtis Geier |
| author_facet | Kathy T. LeSaint Brent Klapthor Ralph C. Wang Curtis Geier |
| author_sort | Kathy T. LeSaint |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Introduction: Emergency care providers routinely treat patients with acute presentations and sequelae of opioid use disorder. An emergency physician and pharmacist implemented a protocol using buprenorphine for the treatment of patients with opioid withdrawal at an academic, Level I trauma center. We describe our experience regarding buprenorphine implementation in the emergency department (ED), characteristics of patients who received buprenorphine, and rates of outpatient follow-up. Methods: We conducted a retrospective chart review of all patients in the ED for whom buprenorphine was administered to treat opioid withdrawal during an 18-month period from January 30, 2017–July 31, 2018. Data extraction of a priori-defined variables was recorded. We used descriptive statistics to characterize the cohort of patients. Results: A total of 77 patients were included for analysis. Thirty-three patients (43%) who received buprenorphine did not present with the chief complaint of opioid withdrawal. Most patients (74%) who received buprenorphine last used heroin, and presented in moderate opioid withdrawal. One case of precipitated withdrawal occurred after buprenorphine administration. Twenty-three (30%) patients received outpatient follow-up. Conclusions: This study underscores the safety of ED-initiated buprenorphine and that buprenorphine administration in the ED is feasible and effective. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-22T20:26:09Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-df438c20965944559a4e9f1d1dfac526 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1936-9018 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-22T20:26:09Z |
| publishDate | 2020-08-01 |
| publisher | eScholarship Publishing, University of California |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Western Journal of Emergency Medicine |
| spelling | doaj.art-df438c20965944559a4e9f1d1dfac5262022-12-21T18:13:44ZengeScholarship Publishing, University of CaliforniaWestern Journal of Emergency Medicine1936-90182020-08-0121510.5811/westjem.2020.6.46452wjem-21-1175Buprenorphine for Opioid Use Disorder in the Emergency Department: A Retrospective Chart ReviewKathy T. LeSaint0Brent Klapthor1Ralph C. Wang2Curtis Geier3University of California, San Francisco, Department of Emergency Medicine, San Francisco, CaliforniaKaiser Permanente San Diego Medical Center, Department of Emergency Medicine, San Diego, CaliforniaUniversity of California, San Francisco, Department of Emergency Medicine, San Francisco, CaliforniaUniversity of California, San Francisco, Department of Clinical Pharmacy, San Francisco, CaliforniaIntroduction: Emergency care providers routinely treat patients with acute presentations and sequelae of opioid use disorder. An emergency physician and pharmacist implemented a protocol using buprenorphine for the treatment of patients with opioid withdrawal at an academic, Level I trauma center. We describe our experience regarding buprenorphine implementation in the emergency department (ED), characteristics of patients who received buprenorphine, and rates of outpatient follow-up. Methods: We conducted a retrospective chart review of all patients in the ED for whom buprenorphine was administered to treat opioid withdrawal during an 18-month period from January 30, 2017–July 31, 2018. Data extraction of a priori-defined variables was recorded. We used descriptive statistics to characterize the cohort of patients. Results: A total of 77 patients were included for analysis. Thirty-three patients (43%) who received buprenorphine did not present with the chief complaint of opioid withdrawal. Most patients (74%) who received buprenorphine last used heroin, and presented in moderate opioid withdrawal. One case of precipitated withdrawal occurred after buprenorphine administration. Twenty-three (30%) patients received outpatient follow-up. Conclusions: This study underscores the safety of ED-initiated buprenorphine and that buprenorphine administration in the ED is feasible and effective.https://escholarship.org/uc/item/1z73c517 |
| spellingShingle | Kathy T. LeSaint Brent Klapthor Ralph C. Wang Curtis Geier Buprenorphine for Opioid Use Disorder in the Emergency Department: A Retrospective Chart Review Western Journal of Emergency Medicine |
| title | Buprenorphine for Opioid Use Disorder in the Emergency Department: A Retrospective Chart Review |
| title_full | Buprenorphine for Opioid Use Disorder in the Emergency Department: A Retrospective Chart Review |
| title_fullStr | Buprenorphine for Opioid Use Disorder in the Emergency Department: A Retrospective Chart Review |
| title_full_unstemmed | Buprenorphine for Opioid Use Disorder in the Emergency Department: A Retrospective Chart Review |
| title_short | Buprenorphine for Opioid Use Disorder in the Emergency Department: A Retrospective Chart Review |
| title_sort | buprenorphine for opioid use disorder in the emergency department a retrospective chart review |
| url | https://escholarship.org/uc/item/1z73c517 |
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