A Safer Opioid? Buprenorphine for Acute Pain in the ED
From EMRA*Cast by Emergency Medicine Residents' Association
January 1, 2026 · 33 min
About this episode
The episode discusses the use of low-dose buprenorphine for pain management in the emergency room.
Buprenorphine is well-known for opioid use disorder—but what about for acute pain? Drs. Terry Ahern and Jon Lee join host Maiya Smith to discuss low-dose buprenorphine for pain management in the emergency room, covering pharmacology, dosing, patient selection, and why it may be a safer, underused analgesic.
People in this episode
Host: Maiya Smith
Guests: Terry Ahern, Jon Lee
Topics covered
- opioid use disorder
- acute pain management
- emergency medicine
- pharmacology
- dosing
- patient selection
- analgesics
Keywords
- buprenorphine
- acute pain
- emergency department
- opioid safety
- pain management
- pharmacology
- dosing
- patient selection
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: Emergency Medicine Residents' Association
Products: buprenorphine
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