The place for short-acting opioids: special emphasis on remifentanil

The place for short-acting opioids: special emphasis on remifentanil

Pain is among the worst possible experiences for the critically ill. Therefore, nearly all intensive care patients receive some kind of pain relief, and opioids are most frequently administered. Morphine has a number of important adverse effects, including histamine release, pruritus, constipation, and, in particular, accumulation of morphine-6-glucuronide in patients with renal impairment. Hen...

Are Long-Acting Opioids More Effective Than Short-Acting Opioids for Chronic Pain?

A new study calls into question the view that extended-release/long-acting (ER/LA) opioids are more effictive than immediate-release/short-acting (IR/SA) formulations for the management of chronic pain.1 The acceptance of the purported benefits of ER/LA opioids is understandable for patients whose pain is continuous and fairly constant over the course of the day. As an accompanying editorial to...

Peripherally-acting opioids.

Opioids are broad-spectrum analgesics with potent pain-relieving qualities but also with potential adverse effects related to both short-term and long-term therapy. Researchers have attempted to alter existing opioid analgesics, utilize different routes/formulations, or combine opioid analgesics with other compounds in efforts to improve analgesia while minimizing adverse effects. Exogenous opi...

pain management in intensive care unit patients: the role of ultra-short acting opioid: remifentanil

Pain Management in Intensive Care Unit Patients: The Role of Ultra-Short Acting Opioid: Remifentanil

Implication for health policy/practice/research/medical education: Pain management in the intensive care unit is a neglected issue and has not been hitherto addressed. This editorial would dwell on the issue of pain management and the potential role of remifentanil in the ICU setting. which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is pr...