Pain medicine : the official journal of the American Academy of Pain Medicine
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Case Reports
Rapid-onset opioids for the treatment of breakthrough cancer pain: two cases of drug abuse.
In the last few years, the use of opioids for cancer pain has rapidly increased and new molecules have been developed. Currently, rapid-onset opioids are widely used in clinical practice for breakthrough cancer pain (BTcP). However, the tolerability of these molecules is still a matter of debate. ⋯ The reported cases are explicative as they occurred in patients suffering from different types of cancer and with different causes of BTcP. Further investigations are needed to identify factors predicting addiction to this new class of molecules.
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To evaluate the degree of knowledge about pain management and opioids use by professionals working at three pediatric units. ⋯ Problems in the processes of pain identification, measurement, and treatment have been found. Results suggest that there is a need for both an investment in continuing education of professionals and the development of protocols to optimize the analgesic therapy, thus preventing increased child suffering.