Methadone is used for the treatment of opioid addiction and for treatment of chronic pain. The safety of methadone has been called into question by data indicating a large increase in the number of methadone-associated overdose deaths in recent years that has occurred in parallel with a dramatic rise in the use of methadone for chronic pain. The American Pain Society and the College on Problems of Drug Dependence, in collaboration with the Heart Rhythm Society, commissioned an interdisciplinary expert panel to develop a clinical practice guideline on safer prescribing of methadone for treatment of opioid addiction and chronic pain. As part of the guideline development process, the American Pain Society commissioned a systematic review of various aspects related Clinical practice guidelines are ''guides'' only and may not apply to all patients and all clinical situations. As part of a shared decision-making approach, it may be appropriate for the clinician to inform a patient that a particular recommendation may not be applicable, after considering all circumstances pertinent to that individual. This article is based on research conducted at the Oregon Evidence-based Practice Center (now the Pacific Northwest Evidence-based Practice Center) with funding from the American Pain Society (APS to safety of methadone. After a review of the available evidence, the expert panel concluded that measures can be taken to promote safer use of methadone. Specific recommendations include the need to educate and counsel patients on methadone safety, use of electrocardiography to identify persons at greater risk for methadone-associated arrhythmia, use of alternative opioids in patients at high risk of complications related to corrected electrocardiographic QTc interval prolongation, careful dose initiation and titration of methadone, and diligent monitoring and follow-up. Although these guidelines are based on a systematic review, the panel identified numerous research gaps, most recommendations were based on low-quality evidence, and no recommendations were based on high-quality evidence.Perspective: This guideline, based on a systematic review of the evidence on methadone safety, provides recommendations developed by a multidisciplinary expert panel. Safe use of methadone requires clinical skills and knowledge in use of methadone to mitigate potential risks, including serious risks related to risk of overdose and cardiac arrhythmias. M ethadone is a synthetic opioid used for the treatment of opioid addiction and for treatment of chronic pain. 15,61 The safety of methadone has been called into question by data indicating a large increase in the number of methadone-associated overdose deaths.38 This increase appears largely related to the dramatic rise in the use of methadone for chronic pain, though a small proportion of deaths occur in patients treated for opioid addiction. 21,37,68,76,91,103 Methadone poisoning deaths in the United States increased steadily from about 800 in 1999 to a high of about 5,500 in 2007; th...

Objective To compare maternal characteristics, prenatal care and newborn outcomes in a cohort of opioid-dependent pregnant women treated with methadone vs. buprenorphine. Methods Retrospective cohort study. 609 pregnant, opioid-dependent women were treated with methadone (n=248) or buprenorphine (n=361) between 2000–2012 at a single institution. Results Mothers treated with buprenorphine were more likely to start medication prior to or earlier in pregnancy, had longer gestation and larger infants. Newborns of buprenorphine- vs. methadone-maintained mothers required treatment for neonatal abstinence significantly less often and for a shorter duration. Conclusions These data suggest pregnancy outcomes following buprenorphine to treat opioid dependence during pregnancy in clinical practice are as good and often better than outcomes with methadone. These results are consistent with efficacy data from randomized clinical trials and further support the use of buprenorphine for the treatment of opioid-dependence during pregnancy.

Therapeutic outcomes for patients who self-select office-based treatment with buprenorphine are essentially comparable to those seen in patients treated with methadone programs. There are few absolute contraindications to the use of buprenorphine, although the experience and skill levels of treating physicians can vary considerably, as can access to the resources needed to treat comorbid medical or psychiatric conditions--all of which affect outcomes. It is important to conduct a targeted assessment of every patient to confirm that the provider has resources available to meet the patient's needs. Patients should be assessed for a broad array of biopsychosocial needs in addition to opioid use and addiction, and should be treated, referred, or both for help in meeting all their care needs, including medical care, psychiatric care, and social assistance. Current literature demonstrates promising efficacy of buprenorphine, though further research will continue to demonstrate its effectiveness for special populations, such as adolescents, pregnant women, and other vulnerable populations. Since the time of this review, several new studies have provided new data to continue to improve our understanding of the safety and efficacy of buprenorphine for special patient populations.