Opioids in Palliative Care

Opioids in Palliative Care

Salazar-Trujillo NV; Torres-Méndez R; Molina-Covarrubias JC

Opioids: Pharmacology, Abuse, and Addiction

2022

Palliative Care; Palliative care; Analgesics, Opioid; Opioids; Cancer pain; Noncancer pain

Palliative care is an essential part of the right to health of all human beings. This medical specialty aims to improve the quality of life of patients with chronic or life-threatening conditions, their families, and caregivers. This chapter presents some conditions that benefit from palliative care and the role of opioids as pain killers and agents used to alleviate symptoms in patients with cystic fibrosis, end-of-life breathlessness, cardiovascular diseases, sickle cell disease, chronic kidney disease, and advanced chronic liver disease. It also mentions specific opioids that can be used or avoided in patients with impaired kidney or liver function, reviews opioid use for pain management in children in palliative care and at the end of life, and provides references to main opioid prescribing guidelines. © The Editor(s) (if applicable) and The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2022.

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