Opioids In Chronic Noncancer Pain: Have We Reached A Boiling Point Yet?

Opioids in chronic noncancer pain: have we reached a boiling point yet?

As we say goodbye to 2013, 2014 brings in the global epidemic of opioid use, inappropriate use, and abuse with related fatalities, which along with the global epidemic of chronic pain with its related disability continue to be major issues for the public, officials, and physician community (1-11). After much controversy with pendulums swinging in different directions over the last 3 decades, it...

Opioids for chronic noncancer pain

The number of available opioid preparations, each with differing chemical properties, structure and opioid receptor affinity, increases with time. The efficacy of these opioids in the treatment of pain arising from a diverse range of disorders is beyond question. With the passage of time, the list of those conditions where an opioid is recommended as a treatment option increases, and that list ...

Should we prescribe opioids for chronic noncancer pain?

These days, prescribing opioids for treating chronic noncancer pain (CNCP) is a common and generally accepted practice. Such treatment is in line with the recommendations of the American Pain Society and the American Academy of Pain Medicine published in 2009, which stipulated the following: “Chronic opioid therapy can be an effective therapy for carefully selected and monitored patients with c...

Opioids for chronic noncancer pain: a new Canadian practice guideline.

Safe use of opioids in chronic noncancer pain.

Many physicians avoid prescribing opioid analgesics for chronic pain because of misconceptions or fears about efficacy, adverse effects, abuse, and addiction potential. We discuss these issues and offer suggestions for the rational use of opioid analgesics in patients with chronic noncancer pain.