Buprenorphine/Benzodiazepines Interactions

This information is generalized and not intended as specific medical advice. Consult your healthcare professional before taking or discontinuing any drug or commencing any course of treatment.

Medical warning:

Moderate. These medicines may cause some risk when taken together. Contact your healthcare professional (e.g. doctor or pharmacist) for more information.

How the interaction occurs:

Both medicines can cause sedation and may suppress your natural urge to breathe.

What might happen:

Taking higher doses or taking more doses than prescribed, could cause you to stop breathing.

What you should do about this interaction:

Make sure your healthcare professionals (e.g. doctor or pharmacist) know that you are taking these medicines together.Your healthcare professionals may already be aware of this interaction and may be monitoring you for it. Do not start, stop, or change the dosage of any medicine before checking with them first.

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  • 2.Butrans (buprenorphine) US prescribing information. Purdue Pharm L.P. September, 2018.
  • 3.FDA (US Food and Drug Administration). FDA Drug Safety Communication: FDA warns about serious risks and death when combining opioid pain or cough medicines with benzodiazepines; requires its strongest warning. Available at: http://www.fda.gov/Drugs/DrugSafety/ucm518473.htm August 31, 2016.
  • 4.Center for Substance Abuse Treatment. Clinical Guidelines for the Use of Buprenorphine in the Treatment of Opioid Addiction. Treatment Improvement Protocol (TIP) Series 40. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (US) 2004.
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  • 8.Valium (diazepam) US prescribing information. Roche Products Inc December, 2016.
  • 9.USFood and Drug Administration. FDA Drug Safety Communication: FDA updates prescribing information for all opioid pain medicines to provide additional guidance for safe use. Available at: https://www.fda.gov/drugs/drug-safety-and-availability/fda-updates-prescri bing-information-all-opioid-pain-medicines-provide-additional-guidance-saf e-use?utm_medium=email&utm_source=govdelivery April 13, 2023.
  • 10.USFood and Drug Administration. FDA Drug Safety Communication: FDA recommends health care professionals discuss naloxone with all patients when prescribing opioid pain relievers or medicines to treat opioid use disorder. Available at: https://www.fda.gov/drugs/drug-safety-and-availability/fda-recommends-hea lth-care-professionals-discuss-naloxone-all-patients-when-prescribing-opi oid-pain July 23, 2020.
  • 11.Hwang CS, Kang EM, Kornegay CJ, Staffa JA, Jones CM, McAninch JK. Trends in the Concomitant Prescribing of Opioids and Benzodiazepines, 2002-2014. Am J Prev Med 2016 Aug;51(2):151-60.
  • 12.Jones CM, McAninch JK. Emergency Department Visits and Overdose Deaths From Combined Use of Opioids and Benzodiazepines. Am J Prev Med 2015 Oct;49(4):493-501.
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CONDITIONS OF USE: The information in this database is intended to supplement, not substitute for, the expertise and judgment of healthcare professionals. The information is not intended to cover all possible uses, directions, precautions, drug interactions or adverse effects, nor should it be construed to indicate that use of a particular drug is safe, appropriate or effective for you or anyone else. A healthcare professional should be consulted before taking any drug, changing any diet or commencing or discontinuing any course of treatment.