Alcohol and Drug Counselor Exam Practice Questions

Naloxone is primarily used as an opioid antagonist, meaning it blocks the effects of opioids and is typically used in emergency situations to reverse opioid overdoses. Although it plays a crucial role in opioid addiction treatment by preventing fatal overdoses, its indication is not specifically for the treatment of opioid addiction in the same way that substitution therapies like buprenorphine, methadone, and Subutex are utilized.

Buprenorphine and Methadone are approved medications designed specifically for opioid use disorder treatment, providing relief from withdrawal symptoms while decreasing cravings. Subutex, which is a formulation of buprenorphine, is also explicitly approved for this use. Therefore, while naloxone is critical in managing emergencies resulting from opioid use, it is not classified or approved by the FDA as a treatment for opioid addiction itself, highlighting its different role in the continuum of care for individuals grappling with opioid dependence.