title: [Drug Delivery System in Pain Treatment--Preface and Comments: Understanding the Concept of Drug Delivery System is Important for Anesthesiologists].
abstract: Drug delivery system (DDS) is a pharmaceutical technique to enhance effective drug delivery, to reduce adverse effects and to determine time-course of drug delivery. DDS facilitates the maintenance of the drug levels at the target. The delivery of drugs via the mucous membranes in the oral cavity and the rectum is often used to achieve the systemic effects. Sublingual delivery assures rapid absorption and bioavailability. Opioids are often given by either sublingual or buccal route to treat cancer breakthrough pain. Controlled-release tablets and transdermal patches of opioids are often used to treat cancer and severe intractable pain. Understanding of the concept of DDS is important not only to use various drugs rationally but to develop new drugs.
authors.forename: Eiichi
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Inada
mesh_terms: D000701:Analgesics, Opioid / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D016503:Drug Delivery Systems; D006801:Humans; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000150:complications; D010146:Pain / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology; D059408:Pain Management
chemical_list: D000701:Analgesics, Opioid