Initiation and Rapid Titration of Methadone in an Acute Care Setting for the Treatment of Opioid Use Disorder: A Case Report

We report a case of an individual who successfully completed initiation and rapid methadone titration for treatment of opioid use disorder in an acute care setting. Discussion: Utilizing divided dosing intervals and regular monitoring for toxicity, the patient received a cumulative methadone dose of 130 mg total within the first 48 hours of admission with continuation of a similar dose subsequently. No adverse events occurred over a 9-day follow-up period. The case report described here highlights the potential acute care settings may offer for the successful initiation and rapid titration of methadone for the treatment of opioid use disorder. Such an approach could significantly reduce the induction period associated with methadone maintenance therapy and its associated negative outcomes including ongoing illicit substance use and risk for overdose.
Source: Journal of Addiction Medicine - Category: Addiction Tags: Case Reports Source Type: research