title: Patterns of pain medication use during last months of life in HIV-infected populations: the experience of an academic outpatient clinic.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  This article describes the patterns of use of pain medicines of HIV-infected patients during last months of life in an HIV university-affiliated outpatient clinic.
  
  
  METHODS
  We retrospectively reviewed our databases and identified patients who died over the last 12 months in our clinic. Demographic, clinical, and laboratory information were abstracted.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 41 patients died in our HIV outpatient clinic in a period of 12 months. Opioid analgesics were prescribed for 21 (51%) patients, with 10 (48%) of these patients prescribed short-acting opioid analgesics alone, In all, 11 patients (52%) were on a short-acting and long-acting opioid combination, and 30 (73%) patients experienced pain that was not adequately controlled.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Pain control during the last months of life for this population appears to be suboptimal. Better strategies are needed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Section of Geriatric Medicine, Section of Infectious Diseases, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center, New Orleans, LA, USA mruiz@lsuhsc.edu.
authors.forename: Marco
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ruiz
authors.affiliation: Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center, New Orleans, LA, USA.
authors.forename: Megan
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Armstrong
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacy, Xavier University, New Orleans, LA, USA.
authors.forename: Tina
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ogboukiri
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Tulane School of Medicine, New Orleans, LA, USA.
authors.forename: Dominique
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Anwar
mesh_terms: D000700:Analgesics / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000701:Analgesics, Opioid / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000150:complications*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010044:Outpatient Clinics, Hospital / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D010146:Pain / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology; D059408:Pain Management / Q000379:methods* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013727:Terminal Care / Q000379:methods* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data
chemical_list: D000700:Analgesics; D000701:Analgesics, Opioid
keywords: HIV; antiretroviral; end of life; hospice care; opioids; palliative care