Pain - Opioids Flashcards
What are the characteristics of acute pain?
- abrupt onset, short duration
- subsides once healing is complete or pain stimulus ceases
- most likely associated with injury or surgery
- is self-limiting
What are the characteristics of chronic pain?
- persists longer than 6 months
- interferes with ADLs
- may lead to depression, physical/psychological dependence
What is considered to be mild pain on a scale of 0-10?
Mild = 1 - 3/10
what is considered to be moderate pain on a scale of 0-10?
Moderate = 4 - 6/10
What is considered to be severe pain on a scale of 0 - 10?
Severe = 7 - 10/10
What are the characteristics of Mu agonists?
- opioids bind to opiate receptors in the CNS
- Mu & Kappa = major receptor sites of pain
- activation of these sites alter perception of pain and cause respiratory distress and constipation
Where are Mu & Kappa receptor sites located?
in the brain, down the spine, and around the GI system
What type of pain is morphine used for?
acute and chronic pain management
what different routes does morphine come in?
ALL FORMS - oral, parenteral (IM, SubQ, IV), and PR (rectal)
What is morphine derived from?
comes from the poppy plant
What are the characteristics of morphine?
- no upper end
- tolerance can develop = ↑ dose of drug to produce the same effect
- there is a short acting & a long acting
What is the peak & duration of oral normal morphine?
Peak: 60 min
Duration: 4 - 5 hr
What type of pain is morphine (ER) used for?
chronic pain management
What form is morphine ER in?
oral
T/F morphine ER is used for breakthrough pain.
FALSE. short acting is used for break through pain (which is severe pain in the background of managed pain)
What are the characteristics of morphine ER?
- used for opioid tolerant patients
- doses scheduled daily, BID, or TID
- must be swallowedd whole
what type of pain is hydromorphone used for?
• severe acute and chronic pain
what routes/forms does hydromorphone come in?
ALL FORMS - PO, PO-ER, parenteral (IV, IM, SubQ), PR (rectal)
what are the characteristics of hydromorphone?
- less nausea than morphine - less adverse effects
- ↑ risk for orthostatic hypotension & urinary retention
- ↑ risk for respiratory depression - keep close eye on them
how much stronger is hydromorphone than morphine?
- 7 times greater potency than morphine = stronger
* *be careful of overdose
what type of pain is codeine used for?
mild to moderate pain
what are the characteristics of codeine?
- antitussive action (suppresses cough)
- “ceiling effect”
- ↑ dose → ↑ risk of adverse effects
- combined with acetaminophen or aspirin
What are the forms of codeine?
Oral - Tab or Syrup