Pharmacotherapy

       Pharmacotherapy is that area of pharmacy practice that is responsible for ensuring the safe, appropriate, and economical use of drugs in patient care. Pharmacotherapy, when used with regard to substance dependence refers to the replacement of a person’s drug of choice with a legally prescribed and dispensed substitute. There are pharmacotherapies for those experiencing difficulties with a range of medical conditions, but the information provided here is intended for people with a problematic opioid dependency.

       While that is easily said, it is actually more difficult to implement in a safe and effective manner to a wide variety of patients and settings. Why? Every patient is unique. In addition, the growing list of new and existing medications makes it more complicated to use the right medication for a particular patient's problem. Drugs are selected based on characteristics of the drug (efficacy, safety profile, route of administration, route of elimination, dosing frequency, cost) and of the patient (age, sex, other medical problems, likelihood of pregnancy, ethnicity, other genetic determinants). Risks and benefits of the drug are also assessed; every drug poses some risk.

       Response to a drug depends partly on the patient’s characteristics and behaviors (consumption of foods or supplements; adherence to a dosing regimen; differences in metabolism due to age, sex, race, genetic polymorphisms, or hepatic or renal insufficiency), coexistence of other disorders, and use of other drugs.