Successful Pain Management for the Recovering Addicted Patient
Description:
Successful pain management in the recovering addict provides primary care physicians with unique challenges. Pain control can be achieved in these individuals if physicians follow basic guidelines such as those put forward by the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations in their standards for pain management as well as by the World Health Organization in their stepladder approach to pain treatment. (Authors)
Content:
Terms physicians need to be familiar with include physical
dependence, tolerance, substance abuse, and active versus recovering
addiction. Treatment is unique for 3 different types of pain:
acute, chronic, and end of life. Acute pain is treated in a similar
fashion for all patients regardless of addiction history. However,
follow-up is important to prevent relapse. The goal of chronic pain
treatment in addicted patients is the same as individuals without
addictive disorders—to maximize functional level while providing pain
relief. However, to minimize abuse potential, it is important to have 1
physician provide all pain medication prescriptions as well as reduce
the opioid dose to a minimum effective dose, be aware of tolerance
potential, wean periodically to reassess pain control, and use
nonpsychotropic pain medications when possible. Patients who are at the
end of their life need to receive aggressive management of pain
regardless of addiction history. (Author)
Type of Resource:
Journal
Publication Date:
2002
Volume:
4
Issue:
4
Pages:
125-131