Question

scenario: a patient with opioid use disorder is started on buprenorphine/naloxone. question: what is the advantage of combining buprenorphine with naloxone? it enhances the analgesic effect. it reduces the risk of diversion and misuse. it increases the half - life of buprenorphine. it minimizes withdrawal symptoms.

Explanation:

Buprenorphine is an opioid partial agonist, and naloxone is an opioid antagonist. When combined in a formulation (like sublingual tablets or films), if the medication is misused by injection (diversion), naloxone is activated and blocks the opioid effects, causing withdrawal symptoms in someone dependent on opioids. This deters people from misusing the medication by injection, thus reducing the risk of diversion and misuse.

• The option "It enhances the analgesic effect" is incorrect because naloxone does not enhance buprenorphine's analgesia; in fact, it can block it if misused.
• "It increases the half - life of buprenorphine" is wrong as naloxone does not affect buprenorphine's half - life.
• "It minimizes withdrawal symptoms" is incorrect because naloxone can precipitate withdrawal if misused, and the combination is not for minimizing withdrawal during proper use (buprenorphine itself helps with withdrawal, but naloxone is for deterrence of misuse).

Answer:

B. It reduces the risk of diversion and misuse.