Journal of pain & palliative care pharmacotherapy
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J Pain Palliat Care Pharmacother · Mar 2015
CommentTime to declare victory and unite pain and palliative medicine.
The value and importance of improved communication and collaboration among pain management and palliative care clinicians is presented. The commentator uses the case report in this issue of the journal on the use of indwelling catheters for continuous interscalene blocks in cancer pain management as an example of why these two medical subspecialties need improved collaboration and integration.
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J Pain Palliat Care Pharmacother · Mar 2015
CYP2D6 phenotype-specific codeine population pharmacokinetics.
Codeine's metabolic fate in the body is complex, and detailed quantitative knowledge of it, and that of its metabolites is lacking among prescribers. We aimed to develop a codeine pharmacokinetic pathway model for codeine and its metabolites that incorporates the effects of genetic polymorphisms. We studied the phenotype-specific time courses of plasma codeine, codeine-6-glucoronide, morphine, morphine-3-glucoronide, and morphine-6-glucoronide. ⋯ The model also showed that about 39% of the MO formed from codeine was converted to morphine-6-glucoronide in extensive-metabolizer phenotypes, and about 58% was converted in ultrarapid-metabolizers. We conclude, a population pharmacokinetic codeine pathway model can be useful because beyond helping to achieve a quantitative understanding the codeine and MO pathways, the model can be used for simulation to answer questions about codeine's pharmacogenetic-based disposition in the body. Our study suggests that pharmacogenetics for personalized dosing might be most effectively advanced by studying the interplay between pharmacogenetics, population pharmacokinetics, and clinical pharmacokinetics.
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J Pain Palliat Care Pharmacother · Mar 2015
Case ReportsManagement of severe pain due to lumbar disk protrusion.
Lumbar intervertebral disk protrusion can cause excruciating pain in severe cases, which can be exacerbated by activity such as sitting down and straining at stool. Acute sciatica due to disk rupture will improve within 1 to 3 months. ⋯ Severe cases can require opioid analgesia, however people taking opioids for pain relief frequently present with opioid-induced bowel dysfunction. The use of transforaminal steroid injections is a controversial issue and repeat steroid injections should be considered in light of the risk-benefit profile of the individual patient.
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J Pain Palliat Care Pharmacother · Mar 2015
Case ReportsTreat the whole patient and be aware of drug interactions.
The case of an elderly male with bilateral shoulder pain is presented. The pain had been successfully treated years earlier with surgery, but a repeat rotator cuff procedure when the pain recurred was not effective. ⋯ Cardiovascular and renal risks of NSAOIDs are discussed as are potential toxicities of tramadol and too rapid withdrawal from it. Drug interactions of medications used are described.
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J Pain Palliat Care Pharmacother · Mar 2015
Implications of bariatric surgery on chronic pain and opioid use.
Questions from patients about pain conditions, pain treatment, and responses from authors are presented to help educate patients and make them effective self-advocates. The topics addressed in this report are implications of bariatric surgery or weight loss surgery on chronic pain and opioid use, what to expect with regards to pain control, and the need to change opioid dose after bariatric surgery.