TY - JOUR
T1 - Breakthrough pain in cancer patients
T2 - new therapeutic approaches to an old challenge.
AU - Reddy, S. K.
AU - Nguyen, P.
N1 - Copyright:
This record is sourced from MEDLINE®/PubMed®, a database of the U.S. National Library of Medicine
PY - 2000
Y1 - 2000
N2 - Breakthrough pain is a well recognized but ill-defined phenomenon that occurs commonly in the presence of otherwise stable, persistent pain. It is defined now as a "transient pain episode that occurs, or breaks through from the otherwise stable background pain." Breakthrough pain is usually associated with moderate to severe pain and may form a predictor of poor response to treatment with routine pharmacotherapy. Breakthrough pain is also associated with functional impairment and psychological distress. The assessment and treatment should be multidimensional. Although primary therapies such as chemotherapy, radiation treatment, and surgical options are explored, the mainstay of treatment is pharmacotherapy. Nonpharmacologic methods, such as orthotic devices and joint stabilizations along with behavioral methods, should be explored. Anesthetic and neurosurgical procedures are performed on a limited number of patients based on the prognosis, intractable nature of pain, and favorable risk/benefit ratio. Newer oral transmucosal fentanyl offers a favorable pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic profile and ease of administration.
AB - Breakthrough pain is a well recognized but ill-defined phenomenon that occurs commonly in the presence of otherwise stable, persistent pain. It is defined now as a "transient pain episode that occurs, or breaks through from the otherwise stable background pain." Breakthrough pain is usually associated with moderate to severe pain and may form a predictor of poor response to treatment with routine pharmacotherapy. Breakthrough pain is also associated with functional impairment and psychological distress. The assessment and treatment should be multidimensional. Although primary therapies such as chemotherapy, radiation treatment, and surgical options are explored, the mainstay of treatment is pharmacotherapy. Nonpharmacologic methods, such as orthotic devices and joint stabilizations along with behavioral methods, should be explored. Anesthetic and neurosurgical procedures are performed on a limited number of patients based on the prognosis, intractable nature of pain, and favorable risk/benefit ratio. Newer oral transmucosal fentanyl offers a favorable pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic profile and ease of administration.
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U2 - 10.1007/s11916-000-0086-3
DO - 10.1007/s11916-000-0086-3
M3 - Review article
C2 - 10998740
AN - SCOPUS:0034564376
SN - 1069-5850
VL - 4
SP - 242
EP - 247
JO - Current review of pain
JF - Current review of pain
IS - 3
ER -