Suspected Substance Withdrawal in Adolescents Clinical Pathway — Inpatient
Suspected Substance Withdrawal in Adolescents Clinical Pathway — Inpatient
Management of Withdrawal Symptoms for Opioids
- Clinical Opiate Withdrawal Scale (COWS)
- Scale with 11-item scale administered by a clinician
- Can be used in both inpatient and outpatient settings to reproducibly assess presence and severity of common signs/symptoms of opiate withdrawal and monitor these symptoms over time
Signs and Symptoms of Opioid Withdrawal Syndrome
General Signs, Symptoms of Withdrawal
Peak Period | 1-3 days |
---|---|
Duration | 5-7 days |
Signs |
|
Symptoms |
|
Precipitated Withdrawal | Sudden and severe onset of withdrawal symptoms as a result of medication |
Pharmacologic Management: Buprenorphine
- Both buprenorphine and methadone can be used for adult adolescents with opioid withdrawal
- Only buprenorphine can be prescribed to adolescent in CHOP’s catchment area
- Buprenorphine is a partial opioid agonist with high affinity for the mu receptor and long duration of action
- There are 2 methods to begin treatment for withdrawal symptoms:
- Standard vs. low-dose/micro-induction
- Standard induction for initial COWS ≥ 12
- Low-dose/micro-induction for initial COWS < 12
- Once started on an induction pathway, adolescent stays on the same pathway regardless of a change in COWS score
- Standard vs. low-dose/micro-induction
- If concern for overdose during induction, call Code and utilize nasal naloxone in code cart
Assess Contraindications for Buprenorphine-Naloxone
Contraindications |
|
---|---|
Pregnancy | Use buprenorphine without naloxone |
Low-Dose/Micro-Induction with Buprenorphine and Buprenorphine-Naloxone; COWS < 12
-
General Principles
- May be started without any period of abstinence
- Withdrawal risk is determined by amount of opioid used and reported severity of withdrawal symptoms
- Induction occurs without withdrawal symptoms as opioid dose given until therapeutic buprenorphine
levels reached- Conversion easier if using prescription-grade opioids vs. street opioids
- Before induction, establish an opioid regimen, oxycodone most commonly used
- It is not necessary to wean off long-acting/short-acting opioids once
buprenorphine therapeutic
- Uses buprenorphine (0.3 mg) buccal film then buprenorphine (2 mg) + naloxone (0.5 mg) sublingual film
- For breakthrough pain, consider short-acting opioid in addition to the buprenorphine
- Increased scheduled opioid dose may be needed if higher rescue doses are needed
- Consider need for Adjunctive Medications for Symptomatic Opioid Withdrawal
- Home medication management is possible if a provider is identified and the home environment is stable
- Obtain pulse oximetry with vital signs if sleeping, if patient prescribed benzodiazepines/opioid, and/or they appear sedated
Buprenorphine Buprenorphine-naloxone |
Oxycodone | |
---|---|---|
Day 0 | None |
|
Day 1 Induction |
|
|
Day 2 |
|
|
Day 3 |
|
|
Day 4 | Buprenorphine-naloxone sublingual films 4 mg every 6 hrs; Max 16 mg/day |
Discontinue oxycodone |
Day 5 Post-induction |
|
Standard Induction with Buprenorphine with Naloxone; COWS ≥ 12
- Use buprenorphine (2 mg) + naloxone (0.5 mg) sublingual film
- Dose based on buprenorphine component, Formulary: Buprenorphine
- Requires adolescent to experience opioid withdrawal
- CHOP clinicians, consider calling CHOP Poison Control Center at 4-2100 to review opioid street products
- Consider need for Adjunctive Medications for Symptomatic Opioid Withdrawal if daily max of buprenorphine is reached
Confirm Time Since Last Specific Opioid Use to Determine Time to Begin Standard Induction (COWS > 12)
Fentanyl | > 18 hrs |
---|---|
Short-acting Oral Opioids Morphine IR, Oxycodone IR |
> 12 hrs |
Extended-release Opioids Morphine ER, Oxycodone ER |
> 24 hrs |
Methadone | > 72 hrs |
Standard Induction | Additional Notes | |
---|---|---|
Day 1 First 24 hrs |
|
|
Day 2 |
|
|
Day 3 |
|
|
Day 4 Post-induction |
|
If > 16 mg required, discuss with consultants |