Journal of pain & palliative care pharmacotherapy
-
J Pain Palliat Care Pharmacother · Mar 2024
Case ReportsPolypharmacy and Reversible Drug Induced QT Prolongation in a Patient with Advanced Cancer: Case Report.
QT prolongation is related to the development of ventricular arrhythmias such as Torsade de Pointes (TdP) that can lead to sudden cardiac death. Several drugs used in the treatment of patients with advanced cancer may induce QT prolongation due to their interference with cardiac ion channels. ⋯ Herein we present the case of a patient with advanced cancer under anti-tumor treatment with radical intention that developed a reversible drug-induced QT prolongation when simultaneously treated with methadone, haloperidol and fluoxetine that presented with chest pain and bradycardia. An approach to cancer patients at risk for drug-induced QT prolongation is discussed highlighting the need of a thorough medication review with a special focus in the patient with polypharmacy.
-
J Pain Palliat Care Pharmacother · Mar 2024
Case ReportsUse of Fosaprepitant for Management of Suspected Antimicrobial-Associated Nausea: A Case Report.
Intractable nausea can occur in numerous settings. We report on a 49-year-old woman with a past medical history of cystic fibrosis (CF) with chronic hypoxia, chronic nausea, complex infection history and frequent hospitalizations who was admitted to an academic medical center with a CF exacerbation. Her chronic nausea worsened with the use of antimicrobials, and she was unable to tolerate dopamine or serotonin antagonist antiemetics. ⋯ Fosaprepitant is a substance P/neurokinin-1 (NK1) receptor antagonist that is FDA-approved for the prevention of chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting and has been used to prevent post-operative nausea and vomiting. Its use in other contexts has not been well established. This case suggests a role for fosaprepitant in the management of nausea outside the context of chemotherapy or general anesthesia.
-
J Pain Palliat Care Pharmacother · Mar 2024
Data-Based Opioid Risk Review in Patients with Chronic Pain: A Retrospective Chart Review.
A retrospective, cohort, single center, chart review was conducted to compare rates of opioid-associated serious adverse events (SAEs) in a patient cohort 6 months before and 6 months after data-based opioid risk review. The primary objective was the composite reduction in opioid-related SAEs including suicide-related events and opioid overdoses. The impact of the reviews was assessed via multivariate logistic regression and a McNemar's test to analyze difference in rates of opioid-associated SAEs. ⋯ The HR for suicide-related events and opioid-related SAEs when opioid therapy was discontinued were 9.95 (2.16-45.94, p = 0.009) and 15.64 (1.09-225.19, p = 0.001) respectively when compared to continuation of opioids. This study showed that data-based opioid risk review may reduce incidence of opioid-related SAEs in patients with chronic pain. Additionally, opioid tapers and discontinuations are significant risk factors for suicide-related events and opioid-related SAEs.
-
J Pain Palliat Care Pharmacother · Mar 2024
ReviewThe Use of Ketamine for Malignant and Nonmalignant Chronic Pain in Children: A Review of Current Evidence.
Chronic pain in children continues to pose significant challenges. The pharmacological approach most often revolves around trials and errors, expert opinions, and extrapolation of adult study findings. Ketamine is one of the agents used for chronic pain, especially with a neuropathic component. ⋯ The heterogeinity of ketamine infusion protocols and frequent concomitant use of other analgesics make it difficult to draw robust conclusions. The long-term effect of prolonged usage also remains a concern. Nevertheless, with careful monitoring, the drug may be a reasonable choice for malignant and nonmalignant pain management in selected cases, especially for refractory pain not responding to conventional approaches.
-
J Pain Palliat Care Pharmacother · Mar 2024
Observational StudyEfficacy and Safety of Low Dose Naltrexone for Chronic Pain.
Naltrexone is a mu-opioid receptor antagonist increasingly used as an analgesic for chronic pain at low doses. This retrospective, observational cohort study was conducted at an academic medical center to evaluate low-dose naltrexone (LDN) efficacy and describe its use in routine clinical practice. Adults receiving LDN, doses <10 mg for ≥1 month, seen at an outpatient pain clinic from January 1, 2014 to April 1, 2022 were included. ⋯ Eighty-seven percent (27) of patients discontinued LDN, 52% (16) for lack of benefit, 23% (7) for loss of benefit, 10% (3) for side effects, and 3% (1) for other reasons. Seven (23%) reported side effects. LDN was associated with a statistically significant reduction in PEG in adult chronic pain patients, however the clinical significance is unclear as over 75% of patients discontinued LDN due to lack of benefit.