Journal of pain & palliative care pharmacotherapy
-
J Pain Palliat Care Pharmacother · Sep 2020
ReviewChemotherapy-Induced Peripheral Neuropathy: Causative Agents, Preventative Strategies, and Treatment Approaches.
Chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN) is a chronic symptom associated with chemotherapy treatment. Symptoms and severity vary based on chemotherapeutic agent used and dose. At present, effective options for the prevention and treatment of CIPN are inadequate and clinical guidance is limited. ⋯ For treatment of CIPN, pharmacological agents duloxetine and topical combination product containing baclofen, amitriptyline, and ketamine have data supporting use. Early stage trials have shown initial promise for non-pharmacological therapies Scrambler Therapy and Photobiomodulation. Significant research is required as CIPN symptoms can lead to decreased quality of life, chemotherapy dose reduction, and discontinuation of drug therapy.
-
J Pain Palliat Care Pharmacother · Sep 2020
The Clinical Pharmacist's Role in Perioperative Surgical Pain Management.
The purpose of this quality improvement initiative was to demonstrate the value of having a clinical pain pharmacist in transitional perioperative pain management. Patients were referred to the pain pharmacist prior to elective surgery. The pharmacist worked with the patients to develop an individualized perioperative analgesic plan and provided education regarding surgery. ⋯ Greater than 90% of patients reported they were "very appreciative" of the pharmacist talking to them about a pain management plan both before surgery and after discharge. One hundred percent of referring providers who responded to the survey reported they were satisfied with the pharmacist role in perioperative pain management. Pain management pharmacy specialists contribute to positive pain management outcomes for patients and surgical provider satisfaction.
-
J Pain Palliat Care Pharmacother · Sep 2020
Healthcare Expenditures Associated with Persistent Opioid use Among Adults with Chronic Non-Cancer Pain Conditions: A Retrospective Cohort Study.
Persistent opioid use in adults with chronic non-cancer pain (CNCP) conditions may lead to high economic burden due to adverse events associated with opioids. The objective of our study was to estimate the healthcare expenditures associated with persistent opioid use among adults with CNCP from both payer and patient perspectives. A retrospective cohort study using data from the Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (2012-2015) was undertaken. ⋯ Moreover, persistent opioid use was associated with high out-of-pocket burden compared to no opioid use (adjusted odds ratio, 1.44; 95% confidence interval, 1.09-1.89). Our study shows that both payers and patients bear the brunt of economic burden of persistent opioid use. Alternative cost-effective strategies for pain management for this group of patients are needed.
-
J Pain Palliat Care Pharmacother · Sep 2020
Case ReportsPruritic Manifestation of Peripheral T Cell Lymphoma Effectively Managed with Mirtazapine: A Case Report.
Chronic pruritus associated with underlying malignancy can greatly hinder a patient's quality of life. The severity is variable and patients frequently fail traditional first line therapies. We report a patient with diffuse, chronic pruritus secondary to peripheral T Cell Lymphoma (PTCL) who had same day response to mirtazapine after a litany of other agents were unsuccessful.