Journal of pain and symptom management
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The effects of opioids usually parallel the plasma concentrations but with a temporal shift. This temporal shift differs between opioids. It is small with alfentanil or remifentanil and very long with the active metabolite of morphine, morphine-6-glucuronide (M6G). ⋯ PK/PD modeling has advanced the understanding of the time course of the clinical effects of opioids after various dosing regimens. It may provide a rational basis for the selection of opioids in clinical circumstances. PK/PD modeling of opioids may also be employed for the design and the interpretation of experiments addressing clinical effects of opioids.
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Fentanyl, a potent lipid-soluble opioid which was first synthesized more than 40 years ago, is still the most popular opioid used in the perioperative period throughout the world. Fentanyl's introduction, versatility, and popularity have resulted in its use in many acute and chronic pain conditions and a multitude of novel delivery systems in the last two decades. In spite of the development of more potent, safer, faster onset, and both shorter and longer lasting alternative opioids, fentanyl remains the mainstay of anesthesiologists and Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists in the perioperative period, and for many pain physicians throughout the world.
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Hydromorphone is a semi-synthetic opioid that has been used widely for acute pain, chronic cancer pain and to a lesser extent, in chronic nonmalignant pain. Its pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics have been well studied, including immediate release oral preparations, a variety of slow release oral preparations, as well as administration through intravenous, subcutaneous, epidural, intrathecal and other routes. ⋯ There is no evidence that hydromorphone has any greater abuse liability than other opioids. Further research is needed to address remaining areas of uncertainty: equianalgesic ratios; relative risk of toxicity compared with other opioids, its use in nonmalignant pain, and the role of specific hydromorophone metabolites in the development of toxicity, particularly in association with organ failure.
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In Japan, palliative care team (PCT) services have been covered by National Health Insurance since 2002. The primary aims of this study were to compare the characteristics of patients who received PCT services with those admitted to palliative care units (PCU), and to clarify the medical treatments and symptom improvement during the first week after consultation with the PCT. This was a prospective audit study of 111 consecutive cancer patients referred to the PCT in Seirei Mikatabara Hospital and a comparison group of 100 consecutive patients admitted to PCU. ⋯ However, no significant improvements were observed in symptom scores of fatigue, dry mouth, somnolence, and delirium. A median of 3 interventions was performed for each patient, and the most common interventions were administration of NSAIDs, opioids, centrally-acting antiemetics, and steroids. These data indicate that a PCT was successfully implemented in Seirei Mikatabara Hospital, and may contribute to symptom improvement in cancer patients.