title: Pharmacokinetic drug interactions in palliative care: focus on opioids.
abstract: Opioid analgesics are crucial for pain management in most patients receiving palliative care. Contemporary models advocate for the provision of palliative care services as early as possible in a course of illness, suggesting that many patients will receive palliative care services, and opioids, concurrent with complex disease-modifying therapies. This article reviews the metabolic pathways of commonly prescribed opioid analgesics and provides a survey of what is known about how disease-modifying therapies alter the pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of opioids. Existing treatment guidelines are reviewed. Practical suggestions are offered.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Science, David Geffen-UCLA School of Medicine, Los Angeles, California, USA.
authors.forename: Thomas B
authors.initials: TB
authors.lastname: Strouse
mesh_terms: D000701:Analgesics, Opioid / Q000493:pharmacokinetics*; D004347:Drug Interactions; D017408:Guidelines as Topic; D006801:Humans; D010166:Palliative Care
chemical_list: D000701:Analgesics, Opioid