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Understanding opioid tolerance in cancer pain
1Department of Anesthesiology, Virginia Mason Medical Center, Seattle, WA, USA. jormain.cady@vmmc.org
Oncology Nursing Forum
|January 5, 2002
Summary
Opioid tolerance in chronic cancer pain is a complex issue. Further research is needed to understand its mechanisms and improve patient management strategies.
Area of Science:
- Oncology
- Pain Management
- Pharmacology
Background:
- Opioid tolerance is a significant challenge in managing chronic cancer pain.
- Understanding the scope and physiologic mechanisms of opioid tolerance is crucial for effective pain control.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review opioid tolerance in the context of chronic cancer pain.
- To define the phenomenon of opioid tolerance and its extent.
- To explore physiologic mechanisms and clinical strategies for managing opioid tolerance.
Main Methods:
- Comprehensive literature review.
- Inclusion of review articles, case studies, original research, and published guidelines.
Main Results:
- Novel therapeutic approaches for preventing or reversing opioid tolerance are under investigation.
- N-methyl-d-aspartate (NMDA) antagonists show potential for future use in managing opioid tolerance.
Conclusions:
- Enhanced nursing research is required to identify patient risk factors for tolerance development and to establish clinical measurements.
- A deeper understanding of cellular mechanisms underlying tolerance can lead to improved pain management.
- Nursing knowledge regarding opioid tolerance is vital for accurate patient assessment, education, and effective pain management.