Opioid use disorder and chronic pain: challenges for palliative care practice

2019 ◽  
Vol 25 (9) ◽  
pp. 453-457
Author(s):  
Brenda Peters-Watral
Keyword(s):  
Chronic Pain ◽  
Palliative Care ◽  
Substance Use ◽  
Pain Management ◽  
Cancer Pain ◽  
Opioid Use Disorder ◽  
Care Practice ◽  
Care Providers ◽  
Opioid Use ◽  
Multiple Cancer

Along with a well-documented increase in opioid use disorder (OUD) and a rapidly escalating rate of fatal overdose in North America, inadequate management of chronic pain remains a pervasive problem. The increasing number of individuals living with OUD also experience multiple cancer risk factors, which are related to their substance use, while people with cancer diagnoses have similar risks of current or past addiction as the general population. Recent pain guidelines focus on chronic non-cancer pain and do not include recommendations for cancer pain management. Managing cancer pain at the end of life is more challenging in people with current or past substance use disorder (SUD), especially OUD. Addressing these challenges requires confronting stigmas and stereotypes, building knowledge among palliative care providers and assessing the risks and benefits of opioids for pain management on an individual basis in order to continue to provide the holistic care.

Meeting at the crossroads of pain and addiction: An ethical analysis of pain management with palliative care for individuals with substance use disorders

2021 ◽  
Vol 17 (3) ◽  
pp. 207-214
Author(s):  
Adele Flaherty, MA, PhD Candidate ◽  
Fahmida Hossain, MS, HEC-C, PhD Candidate ◽  
Alexa Vercelli, MA
Keyword(s):  
Palliative Care ◽  
Substance Use ◽  
Pain Management ◽  
Substance Use Disorders ◽  
Opioid Use Disorder ◽  
Ethical Analysis ◽  
Need For Care ◽  
Opioid Use ◽  
Number Of Individuals ◽  
The Relationship

A growing number of individuals live with an opioid use disorder (OUD). While many go on to recover from such disorders, certainly, there will be individuals in palliative care (PC) at some point who still suffer with OUD. One of the major barriers to PC for individuals recovering and currently suffering from an OUD is the stigma related to having an OUD. Therefore, in the context of PC, it is important to understand the relationship that exists between PC, OUDs, and how stereotypes related to substance use disorders affect patient engagement in PC. For this paper, the focus will be on how stereotypes affect pain management in PC for persons with an OUD. A review of current literature regarding OUDs and pain management indicates a need for care specific to the needs of those in PC who formerly and/or currently suffer from an OUD in order to avoid relapse or worsening of their affliction while still managing their pain. The striking lack of knowledge and resources regarding OUDs and their treatment indicates a need to strengthen/increase resources for physicians to educate on treating OUDs as well as alternatives for pain management. This article presents dignity-enhancing care as a gateway to fairly treat individuals with an OUD and to get rid of the stigma associated with OUD patients.

Pain management

2019 ◽  
pp. 237-316
Keyword(s):  
Chronic Pain ◽  
Palliative Care ◽  
Pain Management ◽  
Cancer Pain ◽  
Care Practice ◽  
Total Pain ◽  
Holistic Understanding ◽  
Central Tenet ◽  
The Common ◽  
Palliative Setting

This chapter covers the theoretical and practical basis of managing patients with pain in the palliative setting. It includes a review of the common pharmacological, non-pharmacological and anaesthetic approaches to managing pain as well as emphasizing that all good care must be based on a holistic understanding. The concept of total pain has become a central tenet of palliative care practice. It recognizes that cancer pain is often a complex, chronic pain with multiple, coexisting causes. Effective management of cancer pain requires a multidisciplinary approach that addresses the patient’s concerns and fears, as well as treating the physical aspects of pain. As a result, the provision of analgesics should be combined with the provision of emotional, social, and spiritual supports.

scholarly journals Attitudes Toward Opioid Use for Chronic Pain: A Canadian Physician Survey

2003 ◽  
Vol 8 (4) ◽  
pp. 189-194 ◽  
Author(s):  
Patricia K Morley-Forster ◽  
Alexander J Clark ◽  
Mark Speechley ◽  
Dwight E Moulin
Keyword(s):  
Chronic Pain ◽  
Palliative Care ◽  
Pain Management ◽  
Physician Education ◽  
Care Practice ◽  
Pain Patient ◽  
Computer Assisted ◽  
Opioid Use ◽  
Severe Chronic Pain ◽  
Noncancer Pain

OBJECTIVES: To measure chronic pain patient volumes seen in primary care practice; to determine what medications physicians choose for the treatment of moderate to severe chronic pain; to identify barriers to the use of opioids in the treatment of chronic pain; and to assess physicians' attitudes toward the current management of chronic pain in Canada.DESIGN: A computer-assisted telephone survey of 100 regionally representative Canadian physicians with a defined interest in palliative care (PC, n=30) or noncancer pain (GP, n=70).SETTING: A survey was conducted by Ipsos-Reid in June 2001. Only physicians who met the eligibility criteria of having written 20 or more prescriptions for moderate to severe pain in the preceding four weeks or having devoted 20% of time to palliative care were eligible to participate.RESULTS: In one month, the average number of patients with moderate to severe chronic pain seen by PCs was 94.2; the average seen by GPs was 44.7. The pain experienced by 83.3% of GP patients was noncancer related. For chronic cancer pain, an opioid analgesic was the treatment of choice of 79% of physicians (48% preferred morphine, 21% codeine, 10% other). For moderate to severe chronic noncancer pain, opioids were the first-line treatment of only 32% of physicians (16% preferred codeine, 16% major opioids) because a significant number preferred either nonsteriodal anti-inflammatory drugs (29%) or acetaminophen (16%). Thirty-five per cent of GPs and 23% of PCs would never use opioids for noncancer pain, even when described as severe. Chronic pain was deemed by 68% of physicians to be inadequately managed. Almost 60% thought that pain management could be enhanced by improved physician education. Identified barriers to opioid use included addiction potential (37%) and side effects (25%). Seventeen per cent of GPs and 10% of PCs thought that regulatory sanctions limited opioid prescribing.CONCLUSIONS: Even among physicians experienced in chronic pain treatment, there is a reluctance to use opioids for severe nonmalignant pain. One-half of the survey participants believed that there was a need for improved physician education in pain management, including the use of opioids.

scholarly journals Chronic pain management and the development of opioid use disorder

2018 ◽  
Vol 87 (1) ◽  
pp. 55-57
Author(s):  
Lily Robinson ◽  
Richard Yu ◽  
Salonee Patel
Keyword(s):  
Chronic Pain ◽  
Pain Management ◽  
Cancer Pain ◽  
Medical Management ◽  
Opioid Therapy ◽  
Opioid Use Disorder ◽  
Medical Attention ◽  
Prescription Opioid ◽  
Evidence Based ◽  
Opioid Use

Chronic pain is a common condition that impacts quality of life and often precipitates the need for medical attention. Despite evidence that long-term opioid use provides limited relief, prescription opioid therapy remains a cornerstone in the medical management of chronic non-cancer pain. Presently, 13% of Canadians are prescribed opioids for pain management, and physicians play a crucial role in preventing the development of opioid use disorders. However, Canadian physicians lack knowledge of and comfort with evidence-based principles of opioid stewardship. In this article, we aim to highlight ongoing Canadian efforts to address physician discomfort and improve clinical practice. We focus on 2017 Canadian guidelines that provide clinicians with evidence-based recommendations for opioid use in chronic non-cancer pain management. In addition, we call attention to provincial efforts to implement physician accountability measures. In reviewing the existing literature, we uncovered inadequacies in pain management curricula within the Canadian undergraduate and continuing medical education (CME) systems. We consulted the educational practices of the European Pain Federation and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to make recommendations for improvement to current Canadian pain curricula. Based on our findings, we recommend that (1) Canadian medical institutions expand upon current core pain curricula, (2) pain management education be made compulsory, (3) academic detailing be emphasized as a means of CME, and (4) multidisciplinary non-medical management of chronic pain be featured more extensively.

Pain in Europe

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christopher Eccleston ◽  
Bart Morlion ◽  
Christopher Wells
Keyword(s):  
Chronic Pain ◽  
Palliative Care ◽  
Pain Management ◽  
Cancer Pain ◽  
Final Section ◽  
International Association ◽  
Main Section ◽  
Cancer Pain Management ◽  
The World

There are over 740 million people living in the 37 countries who are members of the European Pain Federation of chapters of the International Association for the Study of Pain. The editors introduce the field of pain management, in particular the work of over 20,000 people in acute (largely injury related) pain, chronic pain including cancer pain management, and palliative care. We then describe how the book European Pain Management is structured. There are three sections: an introduction to the world of pain and the epidemiology of pain. The main section, which is 37 chapters long, reports describing the practice of pain management in each country, the challenges and innovations. And a final section looks at specific issues that cut across all nations, and ends with a concluding analysis of the statue of European Pain Management.

scholarly journals Pluri Psychopathology and Risk of Opioid Use Disorder

2018 ◽  
Vol 3 (7) ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Risk Factors ◽  
Chronic Pain ◽  
Risk Factor ◽  
Cancer Pain ◽  
Gender Dysphoria ◽  
Psychiatric Comorbidity ◽  
Opioid Use Disorder ◽  
Opioid Use ◽  
Transdermal Fentanyl ◽  
Case Presentation

Background: Psychiatric comorbidty is an important risk factor when predicting risk of opioid use disorder in chronic non-cancer pain. We present a case with gender dysphoria, in wich psychiatric comorbidity was not taken into account for de prescription of pharmacological treatment for pain. Case presentation: We report the case of a 51-year-old man with gender dysphoria, personality disorder, chronic pain disorder and opioid use disorder. For the last 9 years he has taken continuousy transdermal fentanyl prescribed by chronic non-cancer pain. Despite of presenting a pluripathology that discouraged the use of opioids in this patient, throughout his evolution, he has gone to different non-psychiatrists and has shown himself with a querulous, confictive and demanding attitude, so that he managed to keep on raising his dose of prescribed opioids. Conclusions: This case shows the importance of knowing the risk factors of consumption due to the use of opioids patients with chronic non-cancer pain, the importance of psychiatric comorbidity associated with prognosis and the neeed to know exactly how opioids are managed by some prescribers, as well as to carry out an interdisciplinary therapeutic plan to avoid risks.

scholarly journals Development and validation of the Capacity to Treat Chronic Pain and Opioid Use Disorder (CAP-POD) questionnaire

2020 ◽  
Vol 1 ◽  
pp. 263348952094885
Author(s):  
Allyson L Varley ◽  
Burel R Goodin ◽  
Heith Copes ◽  
Stefan G Kertesz ◽  
Kevin Fontaine ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Chronic Pain ◽  
Best Practice ◽  
Primary Care Providers ◽  
Opioid Use Disorder ◽  
Care Providers ◽  
Opioid Use ◽  
High Quality Research ◽  
Practice Recommendations ◽  
Factors Influencing ◽  
Item Questionnaire

Background: Patients with co-occurring chronic pain and opioid use disorder (OUD) have unique needs that may present challenges for clinicians and health care systems. Primary care providers’ (PCPs) capacity to deliver high quality, research-informed care for this population is unknown. The objective of this study was to develop and test a questionnaire of factors influencing PCP capacity to treat co-occurring chronic pain and OUD. Methods: Capacity to Treat Co-Occurring Chronic Pain and Opioid Use Disorder (CAP-POD) questionnaire items were developed over a 2-year process including literature review, semi-structured interviews, and expert panel review. In 2018, a national sample of 509 PCPs was recruited through email to complete a questionnaire including the initial 44-item draft CAP-POD questionnaire. CAP-POD items were analyzed for dimensionality, inter-item reliability, and construct validity. Results: Principal component analysis resulted in a 22-item questionnaire. Twelve more items were removed for parsimony, resulting in a final 10-item questionnaire with the following 4 scales: (1) Motivation to Treat patients with chronic pain and OUD (α = .87), (2) Trust in Evidence (α = .87), (3) Assessing Risk (α = .82), and (4) Patient Access to therapies (α = .79). These scales were associated with evidence-based practice attitudes, knowledge of pain management, and self-reported behavioral adherence to best practice recommendations. Conclusion: We developed a brief, 10-item questionnaire that assesses factors influencing the capacity of PCPs to implement best practice recommendations for the treatment of co-occurring chronic pain and OUD. The questionnaire demonstrated good reliability and initial evidence of validity, and may prove useful in future research as well as clinical settings. Plain language abstract Patients with co-occurring chronic pain and opioid use disorder (OUD) have unique needs that may present challenges for clinicians and health care systems. Primary care providers’ (PCPs) ability to deliver high quality, research-informed care for this population is unknown. There are no validated instruments to assess factors influencing PCP capacity to implement best practices for treating these patients. The objective of this study was to develop and test a questionnaire of factors influencing PCP capacity to treat co-occurring chronic pain and OUD. We recruited 509 PCPs to participate in an online questionnaire that included 44 potential items that assess PCP capacity. Analyses resulted in a 10-item questionnaire that assesses factors influencing capacity to implement best practice recommendations for the treatment of co-occurring chronic pain and OUD. PCPs reported moderately high confidence in the strength and quality of evidence for best practices, and in their ability to identify patients at risk. However, PCPs reported low motivation to treat co-occurring chronic pain and OUD, and perceived patients’ access to relevant services as suboptimal, highlighting two areas that should be targeted with tailored implementation strategies. The 10-item Capacity to Treat Chronic Pain and Opioid Use Disorder (CAP-POD) questionnaire can be used for two purposes: (1) to assess factors influencing PCP capacity before implementation and identify areas that may require improvement for implementation and (2) to evaluate implementation interventions aimed at increasing PCP capacity to treat this population.

Effectiveness of a substance use treatment program for veterans with chronic pain and opioid use disorder

2021 ◽  
pp. 108635
Author(s):  
Ralph Ward ◽  
Yi-lang Tang ◽  
Robert Neal Axon ◽  
Jennifer Casarella ◽  
Natasha Whitfield ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Chronic Pain ◽  
Substance Use ◽  
Treatment Program ◽  
Opioid Use Disorder ◽  
Substance Use Treatment ◽  
Opioid Use

Managing Pain in Patients with a History of a Substance Use Disorder

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Martin D. Cheatle
Keyword(s):  
Chronic Pain ◽  
Substance Use ◽  
Opioid Use Disorder ◽  
Mitigation Strategies ◽  
Scholarly Activity ◽  
Prescription Opioid ◽  
Opioid Misuse ◽  
Opioid Use ◽  
Health Crisis ◽  
Prescription Opioid Misuse

Patients with chronic pain tend to be complex and can present with multiple comorbidities, including anxiety, depression, functional disabilities, and substance misuse or abuse. The burgeoning rate of prescription opioid misuse and abuse and opioid-related fatalities has generated a great deal of scholarly activity on understanding the etiology of opioid misuse/abuse and developing risk assessment and mitigation strategies to curb this public health crisis. Balancing effective pain management and reducing the risk of opioid misuse/abuse and diversion can be a daunting endeavor, as is controlling pain in patients with pain and concomitant substance use disorders. This chapter provides an overview of the prevalence of opioid misuse/abuse in patients with chronic pain. It covers pharmacologic and nonpharmacologic therapies for patients with pain and co-occurring opioid use disorder and also discusses the challenges and opportunities to improve pain care and reduce misuse and abuse of opioids.

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