Articles: opioid.
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There is increasing concern about the appropriateness of prescribing pharmaceutical opioids for chronic non-cancer pain (CNCP), given the risks of problematic use and dependence. This article examines pharmaceutical opioid dose and dependence and examines the correlates of each. ⋯ In this population of people taking opioids for CNCP, consumption of higher doses was associated with increased risk of problematic behaviors, and was more likely among people with a complex profile of physical and mental health problems.
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Continuous morphine infusions (CMIs) treat pain and dyspnea at the end of life (EOL). CMIs may be initiated at an empiric rate and/or are rapidly escalated without proper titration. ⋯ Hospitalized patients at EOL had a much higher 24-hour IV morphine equivalents and CMI rates at time of death compared to CMI initiation. Variability was observed in the number of CMI rate adjustments and the number of bolus doses administered.
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The purpose of this study was to determine baseline adherence to key recommendations from the 2010 VA/DOD Clinical Practice Guideline for Opioid Therapy for Chronic Pain at Veterans Health Administration (VA) facilities. We hoped to understand practice patterns at the time of guideline release to guide quality improvement and implementation efforts. ⋯ In 2010, guideline-recommended practices for opioid prescribing were variably used across VA health care systems. Efforts to disseminate practices used at high-performing sites, and increase consistency of use of recommended practices across patients and facilities should be considered to improve pain management and reduce adverse events.
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To determine if an opioid prescribing guideline poster, meant to be posted in an emergency department (ED) triage area, would deter patients with chronic pain from seeking care. ⋯ The vast majority of patients with chronic pain in this cohort believes that a pain guideline poster is reasonable and should be posted in the ED. However, a small percentage of patients reported that they would feel intimidated by such a poster and that it would prevent them from staying to get care, a result meant to inform hospitals and policy-makers deciding if such posters should be displayed.
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"Burst ketamine" (BK) is the long-term infusion of subanesthetic ketamine in combination with an opioid. It is used clinically with mixed success to provide long-term pain relief and improve opioid response in patients. BK has not been simulated preclinically, therefore, its effectiveness was investigated in an animal model of neuropathic pain--streptozotocin-induced diabetic neuropathy. ⋯ This is the first preclinical study to use a model of neuropathic pain to demonstrate the utility of the BK procedure for delivering a long-lasting reduction in hyperalgesia and improved antinociceptive responsiveness to opioids.