Eight-milligram single dose of buprenorphine as an expeditious treatment for severe suicidal ideation : a case report

Abstract EN

Introduction : Buprenorphine is used to treat opioid use disorder and pain syndromes.

This drug may be a suitable treatment choice for refractory depression, anxiety, self-injurious behaviors, and suicidal ideation.

However, it has a significant abuse potential, which limits its use in suicidal patients with a history of substance abuse.

Case Report: In this report, we present a case of chronic suicidal ideation due to substance-induced depressive disorder in a 25-yearoldmanfrom Noorabad, Fars, Iran.

The patient was successfully treated with an 8-mg single dose of sublingual buprenorphine with minimal probability of diversion or misuse.

We observed that 8 mg of buprenorphine exerted a rapid effect on the reduction and cessation of suicidal thoughts and depression.

Conclusions : We demonstrated the antisuicidal effectiveness of a single dose of buprenorphine, which can be administered with minimum risk of diversion or misuse for suicidal patients with a history of substance abuse.