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The rediscovery of methadone for cancer pain management
Author(s) -
Ayonrinde Oyekoya T,
Bridge Douglas T
Publication year - 2000
Publication title -
medical journal of australia
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.904
H-Index - 131
eISSN - 1326-5377
pISSN - 0025-729X
DOI - 10.5694/j.1326-5377.2000.tb139323.x
Subject(s) - methadone , cancer pain , medicine , opioid , analgesic , narcotic , confusion , pain management , neuropathic pain , addiction , cancer , anesthesia , intensive care medicine , psychiatry , psychology , receptor , psychoanalysis
Methadone is a potent synthetic opioid analgesic best known in Australia as maintenance therapy for narcotic addicts. Acceptance of methadone in cancer pain management is limited by a poor understanding of its pharmacokinetics and confusion about dosage. Many opioid conversion charts underestimate the potency of methadone, resulting in the risk of toxicity. Methadone is a valuable addition to the armamentarium of clinicians treating severe cancer pain, particularly neuropathic pain, that is poorly responsive to opioids or where opioid side effects are unacceptable.