Medications for Addiction Treatment (MAT)

Overview:

Medications for Addiction Treatment (MAT) is the use of medications that are used both for Alcohol Use Disorder and Opioid Use Disorder, in combination with counseling and behavioral therapies to provide a patient approach to the treatment of Substance Use Disorders. Medications used in MAT are approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and MAT programs are clinically driven and tailored to meet each patient’s needs. Certain Specific MAT medications (i.e., buprenorphine, methadone) can also be used for acute detoxification and withdrawal management to complete abstinence from Opioids (i.e., Drug-Free approach). This approach without a long-term plan for sustained abstinence (i.e., counseling, behavioral therapies, without MAT medications) can be fraught with a risk of overdose and death with return use of drugs in an era of fentanyl use.

Research shows that a combination of medication and therapy can successfully treat these disorders, and for some people struggling with addiction, MAT can help sustain recovery. MAT is also used to prevent or reduce opioid overdose. MAT can help sustain Harm reduction which is an effective approach to addressing the public health epidemic involving substance use as well as infectious disease and other harms associated with drug use.

Learning Objectives:

– Understanding the difference between Drug-Free and MAT Medication Assisted Treatment and the  Vulnerability of an Opioid Overdose.

– Understanding Medication for Addiction Treatment for Alcohol Use Disorder and Opioid Use Disorder.

– Understanding Risk Mitigation in the context of Medication Assisted Treatment for Opioid Use Disorder.

– Understanding the Vulnerability of an Opioid overdose with Vivitrol, at the end of a dosing interval, after missing a scheduled dose, or after discontinuing treatment.