Journal of pain & palliative care pharmacotherapy
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A brief history of pain, its pathophysiology, and management is provided. This primer on pain which is written for the consumer describes how pain is diagnosed, the role of gender and age, a discussion of future directions in pain research, ad includes an appendix that defines pain terms and concepts.
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J Pain Palliat Care Pharmacother · Jan 2009
ReviewPain and palliative care pharmacotherapy literature summaries and analyses.
Timely and important studies are reviewed and commentaries provided by leading palliative care clinicians. Symptoms, interventions, and treatment-related adverse events addressed in this issue are management of Alzheimer's agitation with donepezil; needle-free lidocaine powder for minor painful procedures; psychostimulants in depression; anticoagulation for cancer-related venous thromboembolism; effect of waiting for acute pain treatment on risk of chronic pain; and an update on severe cutaneous reactions associated with medications.
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J Pain Palliat Care Pharmacother · Jan 2009
ReviewPalliative care pharmacotherapy literature summaries and analyses.
Timely and important studies are reviewed and commentaries provided by leading palliative care clinicians. Symptoms, interventions, and treatment-related adverse events addressed in this issue are computerized symptom management; anticholinergic agents in lung disease; neuropathic pain and morphine effectiveness; morphine dosing; inflammatory cytokines and pain; oral ghrelin-mimetics and sarcopenia; and opioid-induced bowel dysfunction.
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J Pain Palliat Care Pharmacother · Jan 2009
ReviewVariable use of opioid pharmacotherapy for chronic noncancer pain in Europe: causes and consequences.
According to the 2005 Pain in Europe Survey, the use of opioids to treat patients with chronic noncancer pain varies considerably among different countries in Europe. Undertreatment of chronic pain is common. ⋯ The validity of these restrictions is discussed in relation to the need to protect patients and society from harm due to adverse events, and the potential for misuse and abuse with prescribed opioids. This is balanced against the therapeutic goal of providing the best available pain-relieving treatment and to avoid the consequences of unnecessary suffering in patients with chronic noncancer pain.