Journal of pain and symptom management
-
J Pain Symptom Manage · Jan 2016
Observational StudyEpidemiology and Characteristics of Episodic Breathlessness In Advanced Cancer Patients: An Observational Study.
Episodic breathlessness is a relevant aspect in patients with advanced cancer. ⋯ This study showed that episodic breathlessness frequently occurs in patients with breathlessness in the advanced stage of disease, has a severe intensity, and is characterized by rapid onset and short duration, which require rapid measures.
-
J Pain Symptom Manage · Jan 2016
A Systematic Content Analysis of Policy Barriers Impeding Access to Opioid Medication in Central and Eastern Europe: Results of ATOME.
Reliable access to opioid medication is critical to delivering effective pain management, adequate treatment of opioid dependence, and quality palliative care. However, more than 80% of the world population is estimated to be inadequately treated for pain because of difficulties in accessing opioids. Although barriers to opioid access are primarily associated with restrictive laws, regulations, and licensing requirements, a key problem that significantly limits opioid access relates to policy constraints. ⋯ Reducing barriers and improving access to opioids require policy reform at the governmental level with a set of action plans being formulated and concurrently implemented and aimed at different levels of social, education, and economic policy change.
-
J Pain Symptom Manage · Jan 2016
Observational StudyMethadone Use and the Risk of Hypoglycemia for Inpatients with Cancer Pain.
Methadone is an important drug in the management of both cancer-related and non-cancer-related pain and is the main pharmacologic agent used in the treatment of opioid addiction. Unexpected hypoglycemia has been observed in patients receiving methadone, prompting a more detailed investigation. ⋯ The risk of hypoglycemia is increased for patients taking more than 40 mg oral methadone equivalents per day. When starting methadone at or more than 40 mg/day, we recommend blood glucose monitoring.
-
Quality of life is a highly subjective element on which to base health care decision making. This narrative reflection after the death of a family member uses poetry as a prompt to explore themes related to quality of life-including symptom burden, interpersonal relationships in the face of illness, and the will to live. ⋯ By better recognizing and appreciating these factors, clinicians can develop patient-centered quality-of-life constructs that empower them to honor patient goals and preferences at the end of life. Physicians are encouraged to explore poetry and other artistic media to help foster the reflective capacity required to deeply understand and faithfully serve patients in this regard.
-
PC-FACS(FastArticleCriticalSummaries for Clinicians inPalliativeCare) provides hospice and palliative care clinicians with concise summaries of the most important findings from more than 100 medical and scientific journals. If you have colleagues who would benefit from receiving PC-FACS, please encourage them to join the AAHPM at aahpm.org. Comments from readers are welcomed at pc-facs@aahpm.org.