title: Use of opioid analgesics in a patient with chronic abdominal pain.
abstract: Pethidine is the most commonly used opioid in hospitals in the UK, but it lacks potency, has a short duration of action and a narrow therapeutic index. These points are illustrated by a case history of a patient prescribed pethidine for chronic abdominal pain. Misplaced fears of the side-effects of morphine result in its underuse in the management of chronic pain with consequential restriction of patients' functional ability.
authors.affiliation: Department of Respiratory Medicine, Bristol Royal Infirmary.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Iles
authors.forename: J R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Catterall
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Hanks
mesh_terms: D015746:Abdominal Pain / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology; D000328:Adult; D000701:Analgesics, Opioid / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002908:Chronic Disease; D000075202:Contraindications; D003550:Cystic Fibrosis / Q000150:complications; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008614:Meperidine; D009020:Morphine / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: D000701:Analgesics, Opioid; D009020:Morphine; D008614:Meperidine