CIWA & COWS Exam

CIWA & COWS Exam What is the COWS? - clinical opiate withdrawal scale What Is Precipitated Withdrawal? - It is a rapid and intense onset of withdrawal symptoms initiated by a medication. To avoid precipitated withdrawal, physically dependent patients must no longer be? - experiencing the agonist effects of an opioid Short-acting Opioids: - (Heroin, Crushed OxyContin, Percocet, Vicodin, Oxycodone and others) Long-acting Opioids: - OxyContin, taken orally Points to know about the COWS and giving Buprenorphine: - -cant be actively high on opioids, COWS scores 5-24 -if transitioning from methadone to Buprenorphine, do it slowly In the case of Buprenorphine, - because it has a higher binding strength at the opioid receptor, it competes for the receptor, "kicks off" and replaces existing opioids. -If a significant amount of opioids are expelled from the receptors and replaced, the opioid physically dependent patient will feel the rapid loss of the opioid