Open AccessManaging long-term high-dose prescription opioids in patients with non-cancer pain: The potential role of sublingual buprenorphine
Author(s) -
Joan Chong,
Matthew Frei,
Dan I. Lubman
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
australian journal of general practice
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.421
H-Index - 42
eISSN - 2208-794X
pISSN - 2208-7958
DOI - 10.31128/ajgp-07-19-4994
Subject(s) - buprenorphine , medicine , opioid , (+) naloxone , chronic pain , cancer pain , addiction , medical prescription , intensive care medicine , anesthesia , cancer , pharmacology , psychiatry , receptor
Opioids are frequently used to manage chronic non-cancer pain despite the lack of evidence of benefit and clear evidence of opioid-related harms. Patients undergoing high-dose opioid therapy are at risk of multiple complications, such as opioid toxicity, including fatal overdose and opioid dependence.