title: Achieving effective pain relief in patients with chronic kidney disease: a review of analgesics in renal failure.
abstract: Increasing evidence in literature shows that chronic pain is a common and disabling symptom in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD). As the dialysis population all over the world ages and experiences multiple co-morbidities, nephrologists are increasingly faced with the complex task of addressing them effectively to sustain a reasonable health-related quality of life for their patients. The overall symptom burden of these patients is high and is similar to the end-of life cancer population. The complex pharmacokinetics of opioid analgesics in patients with pre-existing renal disease as well as physician unfamiliarity with the use of these drugs is a barrier to providing effective pain relief. This review deals with approaches to the management of pain in patients with CKD.
authors.affiliation: Bahrain Specialist Hospital, Manama, Kingdom of Bahrain. nayak_shobhana@rediffmail.com
authors.forename: Shobhana
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Nayak-Rao
mesh_terms: D018712:Analgesics, Non-Narcotic / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000701:Analgesics, Opioid / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D007676:Kidney Failure, Chronic / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000628:therapy*; D010146:Pain / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000517:prevention & control*; D010147:Pain Measurement; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic; D011788:Quality of Life; D051437:Renal Insufficiency / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000628:therapy*; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D018712:Analgesics, Non-Narcotic; D000701:Analgesics, Opioid