What's on this Page
Is methadone considered an extended release opioid?
- Methadone is not considered an extended release opioid; however, its long serum half-life can sometimes lend it to being labeled that way. Methadone has a very long and variable serum half-life (24 to 36 hours, outliers as long as 60 to 150 hours).
- Methadone’s onset of action is 30 minutes to 2 hours, and due to the long serum half-life, methadone can build up slowly in a patient’s tissue.
- Methadone’s unique pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic properties typically require multiple daily doses (usually 3 to 4 doses per day). Although the analgesic onset is similar to most opioids, the duration of analgesia is not (e.g., 6 to 12 hours).
Indications of methadone
FDA-Approved Indications
- The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved methadone for the treatment of moderate-to-severe pain that does not respond to non-narcotic drugs. Methadone is also FDA-approved for detoxification and the treatment of opioid use disorder (OUD) as an integral part of medication-assisted treatment.
Off-Label Use
- Methadone is sometimes utilized for the treatment of neonatal abstinence syndrome (NAS), although this application is not FDA-approved and falls under pregnancy category C drug.
Sources
- Durrani M, Bansal K. Methadone. [Updated 2024 Jan 11]. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2025 Jan-. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK562216/
