Journal of pain & palliative care pharmacotherapy
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J Pain Palliat Care Pharmacother · Jan 2006
Review Case ReportsIntranasal sphenopalatine ganglion block: minimally invasive pharmacotherapy for refractory facial and headache pain.
Facial pain and headache of various etiologies are oftentimes unresponsive to conventional therapies. Transnasal sphenopalatine gangion block provides a safe, low-cost, therapy that, if effective, oftentimes can be self-administered for pain relief.
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J Pain Palliat Care Pharmacother · Jan 2006
ReviewDexmedetomidine: a novel analgesic with palliative medicine potential.
Dexmedetomidine has gained popularity in anesthesia and critical care for use in deep sedation and analgesia due to a combination of its efficacy and safety compared with other available agents (e.g., opioids, benzodiazepines, propofol) conventionally used in these settings. This brief review is meant to introduce this unique agent to the palliative care field, as dexmedetomidine may hold promise for patients in hospice and palliative care settings whose symptoms are refractory to usual therapies. [Be sure to be clear in the abstract that more studies are warranted and its role is not well defined and is complicated by significant drug interactions, invasive i.v. route and has a significant side effect profile.]
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J Pain Palliat Care Pharmacother · Jan 2006
Randomized Controlled TrialZoster vaccine to prevent postherpetic neuralgia.
In 2006, the U. S. ⋯ This vaccine has important implications in reducing the incidence and severity of the common neuropathic pain condition postherpetic neuralgia. The new vaccine is described.
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Commonly held beliefs and myths about opioids within Europe are described. These include sedation, cognitive impairment, addiction, pseudoaddiction, tolerance, efficacy, cancer pain, and end-of-life care. Key learning points for refuting untrue beliefs are presented.
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Pain continues to be undertreated, and numerous barriers to adequate pain management have been identified. Some clinicians believe that the words which health professionals use to describe analgesics may be a hidden barrier. Possible implications of using the term "narcotic" are described.