Articles: opioid.
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Total knee arthroplasty (TKA) is one of the most performed surgical operations in the United States. Managing postoperative pain after TKA is of vital importance, as it is positively associated with outcome measures related to recovery of function and quality of life. Two commonly used methods to control postoperative pain are regional anesthesia (RA), consisting of a single or a combination of peripheral nerve and epidural blocks, and pain medication, such as opioids. Our retrospective analysis sought to better understand whether revision versus primary TKA impacted previously discovered disparities in perioperative pain management and use of RA at the Atlanta Veterans Affairs Health Care System (AVAHCS). Before data collection, we hypothesized that revision TKA would have a higher proportion of Black and older patients and that revision TKA patients would have lower postoperative pain scores. ⋯ Sociodemographic disparities in pain management have been reported in all healthcare systems, including the VAHCS. This moderately sized retrospective study, conducted at a single veterans affairs site, yielded several noteworthy findings. One finding of particular interest was that, despite Black patients reporting higher baseline and 24-hour postoperative pain scores, they were prescribed fewer opioids at discharge. Our results highlight the presence of clinically significant disparities in perioperative TKA pain management, emphasizing the need for continuous investigation and focused mitigation efforts among Veterans.
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Data indicate that one in five patients with cancer might be at risk for nonmedical opioid use and its extreme form, opioid use disorder (OUD). Buprenorphine is one of the few medications available for the management of patients with co-occurring OUD and chronic pain. ⋯ Reports on how primary non-specialist clinicians without access to specialist addiction services navigate the care of such patients in the inpatient setting are limited. We hereby describe the care of three patients with OUD receiving buprenorphine who were hospitalized for cancer pain.
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The erosion of trust in the patient-clinician relationship is an underappreciated, and vital, component of the prescription opioid crisis. Drawing from lived experience of patients and clinicians, and a narrative evidence review, this report discusses how opioid use for persistent pain can impact the patient-clinician relationship from the vantage points of the patient and the family physician. For patients, the stress of dealing with persistent pain, misalignment with clinicians regarding goals of care, experiences of disrespect and stigma, fear of abrupt tapers, and frustration with a fragmented health system, all combine to breed a lack of trust. ⋯ To support implementation of evidence-based guidelines and achieve public health goals of safer prescribing and reducing harm from prescription opioids, we recommend steps health systems and clinicians can take to rebuild trust in the patient-clinician relationship, enable patient-centered pain care, and embed patient perspectives into opioid safety processes. PERSPECTIVE: Erosion of patient-clinician trust is a barrier to implementing evidence-based guidelines that aim to improve opioid safety. This paper explores lived patient and clinician experiences and recommends steps for health systems and clinicians to rebuild this trust as a strategy to actualize the benefits of adherence to these guidelines.
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The development of nonopioid analgesics for the treatment of abdominal pain is a pressing clinical problem. To address this, we examined the expression of Gi/o-coupled receptors, which typically inhibit nociceptor activation, in colonic sensory neurons. This led to the identification of the orphan receptor GPR35 as a visceral analgesic drug target because of its marked coexpression with transient receptor potential ankyrin 1 (TRPA1), a mediator of noxious mechanotransduction in the bowel. ⋯ Consistent with this mechanism of action, we confirmed that TRPA1-mediated colonic contractions evoked by SP release were abolished by CS pretreatment in a GPR35-dependent manner. Our data demonstrate that GPR35 agonists prevent the activation and sensitisation of colonic nociceptors through the inhibition of TRPA1-mediated SP release. These findings highlight the potential of GPR35 agonists to deliver nonopioid analgesia for the treatment of abdominal pain.