Butrans

Pain, Opioid-Related Disorders, Pain

Treatment

2 FDA approvals

0 Active Studies for Butrans

What is Butrans

Buprenorphine

The Generic name of this drug

Treatment Summary

Buprenorphine is a medication used to treat severe pain and opioid addiction. It is sold under the brand name Suboxone, in combination with naloxone, a drug that helps reduce the risk of abuse. Buprenorphine binds to opioid receptors in the body and has a long-lasting effect, providing relief from pain and withdrawal symptoms for up to 36 hours. It has fewer side effects and a lower risk of overdose than other potent opioids. Buprenorphine is used in opioid agonist treatment (OAT) or opioid substitution therapy (OST), which is used to reduce cravings and drug-

Buprenex

is the brand name

image of different drug pills on a surface

Butrans Overview & Background

Brand Name

Generic Name

First FDA Approval

How many FDA approvals?

Buprenex

Buprenorphine

1985

261

Approved as Treatment by the FDA

Buprenorphine, commonly known as Buprenex, is approved by the FDA for 2 uses which include Opioid Dependence and Opioid-Related Disorders .

Opioid Dependence

Used to treat Opioid Dependence in combination with Naloxone

Opioid-Related Disorders

Used to treat Opioid Dependence in combination with Naloxone

Effectiveness

How Butrans Affects Patients

Buprenorphine interacts with the opioid mu-receptor in the brain, spinal cord, and other tissues, causing pain relief, sedation, and changes in mood. It can also slow down the respiratory system and cause constipation. Taking this drug for a long time can affect the hormones in the body, leading to lower sex drive or fertility issues. Buprenorphine can cause withdrawal symptoms if stopped too quickly. It can also lead to adrenal insufficiency, hepatitis, low blood pressure, and increased pressure in the brain or bile duct. Patients should be aware of potential side effects such as constipation,

How Butrans works in the body

Buprenorphine is a drug that binds to the mu-opioid receptor in the brain. It has a strong binding affinity, which means it sticks to the receptor well, but it has low activity which means it doesn't activate it very much. This reduces the risk of overdose and other side effects like sedation and euphoria, and also helps to reduce the reinforcing effects of opioids that can lead to drug-seeking behaviors. When taken by someone who is already dependent on opioids, buprenorphine can cause a rapid and intense onset of withdrawal symptoms, known as "precipitated withdrawal". To prevent this

When to interrupt dosage

The recommended dosage of Butrans is contingent upon the diagnosed disorder, including Pain, Pain and Opioid Dependence. The magnitude of dosage relies on the method of delivery (e.g. Tablet - Oral or Sublingual) outlined in the table beneath.

Condition

Dosage

Administration

Pain

0.324 mg/mL, , 0.3 mg/mL, 8.0 mg, 0.01 mg/hour, 0.02 mg/hour, 0.005 mg/hour, 2.0 mg, 80.0 mg, 16.0 mg, 0.075 mg, 0.15 mg, 0.3 mg, 0.45 mg, 0.6 mg, 0.75 mg, 0.9 mg, 0.0075 mg/hour, 0.015 mg/hour, 12.0 mg, 4.0 mg, 1.4 mg, 11.4 mg, 2.9 mg, 5.7 mg, 8.6 mg, 0.7 mg, 4.2 mg, 2.1 mg, 6.3 mg, 0.2 mg, 300.0 mg, 100.0 mg, 0.0025 mg/hour, 74.2 mg, 96.0 mg, 24.0 mg, 128.0 mg, 64.0 mg, 32.0 mg, 300.0 mg/mL, 1000.0 mg/mL, 7.5 mg/hour, 15.0 mg/hour, 20.0 mg/hour, 5.0 mg/hour, 10.0 mg/hour

, Intramuscular; Intravenous, Injection, solution, Injection, solution - Intramuscular; Intravenous, Sublingual, Tablet, Tablet - Sublingual, Patch, extended release, Patch, extended release - Transdermal, Transdermal, Oral, Tablet - Oral, Film, soluble, Film, soluble - Sublingual, Subcutaneous, Implant, Implant - Subcutaneous, Buccal, Film, Film - Buccal, Injection - Intramuscular; Intravenous, Injection, Tablet, orally disintegrating - Sublingual, Tablet, orally disintegrating, Patch, Patch - Transdermal, Film, soluble - Buccal, Pill - Sublingual, Pill, Solution - Subcutaneous, Solution, Film, soluble - Buccal; Sublingual, Buccal; Sublingual, Film - Buccal; Sublingual, Solution, gel forming, extended release, Solution, gel forming, extended release - Subcutaneous

Opioid-Related Disorders

0.324 mg/mL, , 0.3 mg/mL, 8.0 mg, 0.01 mg/hour, 0.02 mg/hour, 0.005 mg/hour, 2.0 mg, 80.0 mg, 16.0 mg, 0.075 mg, 0.15 mg, 0.3 mg, 0.45 mg, 0.6 mg, 0.75 mg, 0.9 mg, 0.0075 mg/hour, 0.015 mg/hour, 12.0 mg, 4.0 mg, 1.4 mg, 11.4 mg, 2.9 mg, 5.7 mg, 8.6 mg, 0.7 mg, 4.2 mg, 2.1 mg, 6.3 mg, 0.2 mg, 300.0 mg, 100.0 mg, 0.0025 mg/hour, 74.2 mg, 96.0 mg, 24.0 mg, 128.0 mg, 64.0 mg, 32.0 mg, 300.0 mg/mL, 1000.0 mg/mL, 7.5 mg/hour, 15.0 mg/hour, 20.0 mg/hour, 5.0 mg/hour, 10.0 mg/hour

, Intramuscular; Intravenous, Injection, solution, Injection, solution - Intramuscular; Intravenous, Sublingual, Tablet, Tablet - Sublingual, Patch, extended release, Patch, extended release - Transdermal, Transdermal, Oral, Tablet - Oral, Film, soluble, Film, soluble - Sublingual, Subcutaneous, Implant, Implant - Subcutaneous, Buccal, Film, Film - Buccal, Injection - Intramuscular; Intravenous, Injection, Tablet, orally disintegrating - Sublingual, Tablet, orally disintegrating, Patch, Patch - Transdermal, Film, soluble - Buccal, Pill - Sublingual, Pill, Solution - Subcutaneous, Solution, Film, soluble - Buccal; Sublingual, Buccal; Sublingual, Film - Buccal; Sublingual, Solution, gel forming, extended release, Solution, gel forming, extended release - Subcutaneous

Pain

0.324 mg/mL, , 0.3 mg/mL, 8.0 mg, 0.01 mg/hour, 0.02 mg/hour, 0.005 mg/hour, 2.0 mg, 80.0 mg, 16.0 mg, 0.075 mg, 0.15 mg, 0.3 mg, 0.45 mg, 0.6 mg, 0.75 mg, 0.9 mg, 0.0075 mg/hour, 0.015 mg/hour, 12.0 mg, 4.0 mg, 1.4 mg, 11.4 mg, 2.9 mg, 5.7 mg, 8.6 mg, 0.7 mg, 4.2 mg, 2.1 mg, 6.3 mg, 0.2 mg, 300.0 mg, 100.0 mg, 0.0025 mg/hour, 74.2 mg, 96.0 mg, 24.0 mg, 128.0 mg, 64.0 mg, 32.0 mg, 300.0 mg/mL, 1000.0 mg/mL, 7.5 mg/hour, 15.0 mg/hour, 20.0 mg/hour, 5.0 mg/hour, 10.0 mg/hour

, Intramuscular; Intravenous, Injection, solution, Injection, solution - Intramuscular; Intravenous, Sublingual, Tablet, Tablet - Sublingual, Patch, extended release, Patch, extended release - Transdermal, Transdermal, Oral, Tablet - Oral, Film, soluble, Film, soluble - Sublingual, Subcutaneous, Implant, Implant - Subcutaneous, Buccal, Film, Film - Buccal, Injection - Intramuscular; Intravenous, Injection, Tablet, orally disintegrating - Sublingual, Tablet, orally disintegrating, Patch, Patch - Transdermal, Film, soluble - Buccal, Pill - Sublingual, Pill, Solution - Subcutaneous, Solution, Film, soluble - Buccal; Sublingual, Buccal; Sublingual, Film - Buccal; Sublingual, Solution, gel forming, extended release, Solution, gel forming, extended release - Subcutaneous

Warnings

Butrans Contraindications

Condition

Risk Level

Notes

Alcohol Withdrawal Delirium

Do Not Combine

Asthma

Do Not Combine

Severe Hepatic Impairment

Do Not Combine

suspected gastrointestinal obstruction

Do Not Combine

Pulse Frequency

Do Not Combine

Asthma

Do Not Combine

Gastrointestinal obstruction

Do Not Combine

Head

Do Not Combine

ethanol

Do Not Combine

Stomatitis

Do Not Combine

Abdomen

Do Not Combine

severe CNS depression

Do Not Combine

opioid naive

Do Not Combine

Myasthenia Gravis

Do Not Combine

Epilepsy

Do Not Combine

Hypocalcemia

Do Not Combine

Hypokalemia

Do Not Combine

Hypomagnesemia

Do Not Combine

Mental Depression

Do Not Combine

Cerebrospinal Fluid

Do Not Combine

Long QT Syndrome

Do Not Combine

There are 20 known major drug interactions with Butrans.

Common Butrans Drug Interactions

Drug Name

Risk Level

Description

Abemaciclib

Major

The metabolism of Abemaciclib can be decreased when combined with Buprenorphine.

Acalabrutinib

Major

The metabolism of Acalabrutinib can be decreased when combined with Buprenorphine.

Alectinib

Major

The metabolism of Alectinib can be decreased when combined with Buprenorphine.

Aminophylline

Major

The metabolism of Aminophylline can be decreased when combined with Buprenorphine.

Astemizole

Major

The metabolism of Astemizole can be decreased when combined with Buprenorphine.

Butrans Toxicity & Overdose Risk

Signs of an overdose on opioids include very small pupils, excessive sleepiness, low blood pressure, difficulty breathing, and in extreme cases, death.

image of a doctor in a lab doing drug, clinical research

Butrans Novel Uses: Which Conditions Have a Clinical Trial Featuring Butrans?

21 active clinical trials are currently in progress to determine the potential of Butrans for managing Opioid Dependence, Pain and related Ailments.

Condition

Clinical Trials

Trial Phases

Pain

0 Actively Recruiting

Pain

0 Actively Recruiting

Opioid-Related Disorders

0 Actively Recruiting

Butrans Reviews: What are patients saying about Butrans?

5

Patient Review

2/25/2021

Butrans for severe chronic pain requiring long-term opioid treatment

I was taking Morphine for 6 years and couldn't get my levels below 7. I am on the Butrans 10mcg now and my pain levels have been the lowest they have been in years. My pain management doctor told me I do need to increase the dosage because it isn't being effective for the full 7 days, but that's better than before. Overall, I am pleased with it. The side effects I have are weight loss, chills and headaches.

5

Patient Review

7/28/2022

Butrans for severe chronic pain with opioid tolerance

This treatment, combining medication and nerve blocks, has drastically improved my quality of life. I was taking large doses of painkillers for over 10 years, but they stopped being effective. Now I'm on a much lower dose of morphine and it's helped me lose 45lbs and walk 2km - things I could never do before.

5

Patient Review

7/18/2022

Butrans for severe chronic pain with opioid tolerance

This is the only patch that has worked for me. I've tried morphine and Percocet in the past, but this is by far the most effective treatment. It does make me a little sleepy, but it's worth it for the pain relief.

5

Patient Review

6/28/2022

Butrans for severe chronic pain requiring long-term opioid treatment

This medication completely removed my pain without making me feel drugged.

4.7

Patient Review

6/29/2020

Butrans for Chronic Pain

Tramadol didn't help me much, even at high doses. Butrans, however, has been a game changer. I saw relief after just a few days and my pain is now manageable.

4

Patient Review

2/6/2020

Butrans for Severe Pain

I am a disabled veteran with total spine injury and I also suffer from painful Polymyalgia Rheumatica. I was on Hydrocodone and Morphine for pain and PTSD. The Butrans patch works great but in my case it is only affective for 5 days and I go into withdrawals 2 days before the next replacement. I no longer take either Hydrocodone or Morphine I only use 15 mcg of Butrans patch. HELP!

3

Patient Review

9/12/2022

Butrans for severe chronic pain with opioid tolerance

This medication really helped with the pain, but it also caused me to be too relaxed during surgery because it was mixed with anesthesia. After that, I had a severe depression, anxiety, and isolation. Even now, five months after being off the medication, I'm still experiencing negative effects from it.

2.7

Patient Review

12/21/2021

Butrans for severe chronic pain requiring long-term opioid treatment

I was on a 10 mcl dosage and tried to increase it to 15, but the first week was unbearable. I tapered down to just 1 1/2 norco a day and was doing much better until the pain increased again. Now I'm up to 6 per day and neither my pain management nor my doctor think this medication is helping anymore. I sometimes wish my left leg wasn't there because of how much pain I'm in. This drug has also made it worse for me to sleep and given me mouth dryness.

2.3

Patient Review

7/19/2020

Butrans for Chronic Pain

I've tried both the 5 mcg and 7.5 mcg doses of this medication, and I haven't found it to be effective in reducing my pain levels at all. In fact, I get more relief from taking oral pain medications. Definitely would not recommend this to others.

2.3

Patient Review

7/2/2021

Butrans for severe chronic pain requiring long-term opioid treatment

I started with the 5mcg dose but have since moved up to 15mcg. I really despise these things- they did nothing for me whatsoever. Oxycodone provides much more relief than this patch does. In my opinion, it feels like a complete waste of time to use the patches.

2

Patient Review

6/13/2021

Butrans for severe chronic pain requiring long-term opioid treatment

I did not find this treatment helpful at all. In fact, it made my pain worse and I developed hives from the patch.

1.7

Patient Review

6/14/2022

Butrans for severe chronic pain with opioid tolerance

I was really disappointed with this treatment. I was prescribed it after surgery, and it just didn't work for me at all.

1.3

Patient Review

2/26/2020

Butrans for Chronic Pain

I experienced a whole host of problems while using this patch: dry mouth, skin irritation, difficulty sleeping, and no pain relief. I also noticed weight gain; has anyone else had this issue? Overall, I would not recommend this product.

1

Patient Review

3/9/2020

Butrans for Severe Pain with Opioid Tolerance

This medication did nothing to ease my pain, despite supposedly working synergistically with the oral morphine sulfate I take. If anything, I felt less relief than when taking the morphine alone.

1

Patient Review

9/23/2022

Butrans for Chronic Pain

I found this treatment to be completely ineffective.
image of drug pills surrounding a glass of water symbolizing drug consumption

Patient Q&A Section about butrans

These questions and answers are submitted by anonymous patients, and have not been verified by our internal team.

Is Butrans the same as Suboxone?

"Both Buprenorphine (Butrans) and Suboxone contain the same active ingredient, buprenorphine. Buprenorphine (Butrans) is a patch that is used to treat pain, while Suboxone is a medication that is placed under the tongue to treat opioid dependence."

Answered by AI

Is Butrans the same as tramadol?

"The medication Ultram (tramadol) is effective for treating pain. Although it is not as strong as some other opioids, it can still be habit-forming. The medication Butrans (buprenorphine) comes in a patch that only needs to be replaced once a week. Butrans (buprenorphine) provides around-the-clock relief from pain."

Answered by AI

How does Butrans make you feel?

"Buprenorphine is a partial agonist of mu opioid receptors, so it can produce similar effects to full mu-agonists, like sedation, euphoria, and respiratory depression. However, this is more likely to happen at higher doses of buprenorphine, like those delivered by Butrans."

Answered by AI

What is Butrans prescribed for?

"The BuTrans patch contains the active ingredient buprenorphine, which is a strong analgesic. These patches have been prescribed by your doctor to relieve moderate, long-lasting pain."

Answered by AI