4-hour Live MOUD Training - 08/01/2026-Handout - 4 Hour MOUD

Handout - 4 Hour MOUD - Dr. Wyatt

Pdf Summary

This 4-hour PCSS-MOUD training, led by Stephen A. Wyatt, D.O., focused on evidence-based treatment for substance use disorders, especially opioid use disorder (OUD), and aimed to improve clinicians’ knowledge, prescribing skills, and comfort with MOUD care. It emphasized addiction as a chronic brain disease influenced by genetics, environment, trauma, and social factors, and highlighted the major public health and healthcare burden of SUDs, including overdose deaths, reduced life expectancy, and high economic costs.<br /><br />A major section reviewed the three FDA-approved medications for OUD: methadone, buprenorphine, and naltrexone. The presentation explained each medication’s pharmacology, safety profile, dosing, formulation options, and clinical use. Buprenorphine was presented as a partial agonist with high receptor affinity and a favorable safety profile, including initiation strategies such as standard induction, high-dose induction for fentanyl exposure, and low-dose/micro-induction for transitions from full agonists. Methadone was described as a full agonist with strong efficacy but greater monitoring needs, including QTc concerns. Naltrexone was discussed as a full antagonist appropriate only after complete opioid abstinence, with attention to adherence and overdose risk after discontinuation.<br /><br />The training also covered patient evaluation, screening, diagnostic criteria, therapeutic alliance, stigma reduction, and the importance of integrated care for co-occurring psychiatric disorders, pain, pregnancy, adolescents, HIV, renal disease, and hepatic impairment. Special attention was given to perioperative and acute pain management in patients already receiving MOUD, as well as the treatment of neonatal opioid withdrawal syndrome.<br /><br />Overall, the course concluded that MOUD improves retention, reduces cravings and illicit opioid use, and lowers morbidity and mortality, while stressing that longer-term maintenance is generally more effective than tapering.

Keywords

opioid use disorder

medication for opioid use disorder

MOUD

buprenorphine

methadone

naltrexone

addiction treatment

substance use disorders

harm reduction

overdose prevention