Difficult decisions: managing chronic neuropathic pain with opioids.
The decision to use opioids to treat chronic neuropathic pain is complex and somewhat controversial. Although opioid therapy may be appropriate for some patients with chronic neuropathic pain, physicians must implement strategies to reduce opioid abuse, addiction, and diversion. The decision to use chronic opioids should be made proactively with institution of best practices to ensure safe and effective use. As with all aspects of chronic pain management, better education of both health care providers and patients is necessary. Fortunately, specific recommendations for the safe and effective use of opioids are now available in several recently published guidelines. The best practices embodied in these guidelines should be considered for widespread adoption by both individual providers and health care systems.
Department of Neurology, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center, School of Medicine, New Orleans 70112, USA. jengla@lsuhsc.edu
John D
JD
England
Gary M
GM
Franklin
D000328:Adult; D000701:Analgesics, Opioid / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D059350:Chronic Pain; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009437:Neuralgia / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy*; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic; D010818:Practice Patterns, Physicians' / Q000941:ethics*; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000150:complications
D000701:Analgesics, Opioid