• The effects of Suboxone last for 24 hours
• After one dose of Suboxone, no trace of the drug would be expected to be found after 5 to 8 days in healthy people, or 7 to 14 days in those with severe liver disease.

Suboxone contains buprenorphine and naloxone and it may be used to treat opioid addiction.

After the initial treatment period, Suboxone is usually given just once a day, and it’s effects will last at least 24 hours.

When calculating how long Suboxone lasts in the body, you need to consider the elimination half-life of both drugs. This is the time it takes for half of the drug to be metabolized and eliminated in the body.

• The elimination half-life of buprenorphine is 24 to 42 hours
• The elimination half-life of naloxone is 2 to 12 hours.

Generally, it takes four to five half-lives for a drug to be totally eliminated from the body.

• In most healthy people, no trace of Suboxone would be found after 120 to 210 hours (5 to 8 days).

Buprenorphine is metabolized and eliminated in the urine and feces. Naloxone is metabolized by the liver and excreted in the urine.

In people with moderate-to-severe liver disease, the half-life of both buprenorphine and naloxone are significantly prolonged, naloxone more so than buprenorphine.

• In moderate liver impairment, the half-life of buprenorphine is increased by 35% and naloxone is increased by 165%
• In severe liver impairment, the half-life of buprenorphine is increased by 57% and naloxone is increased by 122%.

Based on a calculation of 5 half-lives for the drug to be totally removed:

• For people with moderate liver disease, no trace of Suboxone would be expected to be found after approximately 160 to 284 hours (6 to 12 days)
• For people with severe liver disease, no trace of Suboxone would be expected to be found after approximately 188 to 330 hours (7 to 14 days).