Search results for "transdermal fentanyl"
showing 4 items of 4 documents
Opioid Plasma Concentrations during a Switch from Transdermal Fentanyl to Methadone
2007
Opioid switching is often used to improve the opioid response in patients with cancer experiencing poor analgesia or adverse effects. When switching between drugs with delayed effect because of pharmacokinetics or type of delivery, concerns exist about the correct timing of introducing the second drug after stopping the previous one. The aim of this study was to assess plasmatic changes of fentanyl and methadone underlying the clinical events occurring during opioid switching. Eighteen patients with cancer receiving transdermal fentanyl with uncontrolled pain and/or moderate to severe opioid adverse effects, were switched to oral methadone using an initial fixed ratio of 1:20. Fentanyl patc…
Rapid Switching Between Transdermal Fentanyl and Methadone in Cancer Patients
2005
Purpose The aim of this study was to examine the clinical effects of switching from transdermal (TTS) fentanyl to methadone, or vice versa, in patients with a poor response to the previous opioid. Patients and Methods A prospective study was carried out on 31 patients who switched from TTS fentanyl to oral methadone, or vice versa, because of poor opioid response. A fixed conversion ratio of fentanyl to methadone of 1:20 was started and assisted by rescue doses of opioids, and then doses were changed according to clinical response. Pain and symptom intensity, expressed as distress score, were recorded before switching doses of the two opioids and after subsequent doses. The number of change…
Switching from Transdermal Drugs: An Observational "N of 1" Study of Fentanyl and Buprenorphine
2007
The aim of this study was to confirm that the concomitant presence of transdermal fentanyl (TTS FE) and buprenorphine (TTS BU) may be feasible without important consequences, using doses presumed to be equianalgesic. A prospective "N of 1" study was carried out in a sample of volunteers with cancer pain receiving stable doses of TTS FE or TTS BU, with adequate pain and symptom control. In the study design, each patient provided data before and after a switch from one opioid to the other and then back to the previous one. Sixteen patients receiving daily stable doses of 0.6 or 1.2 mg of TTS FE were switched to TTS BU using an FE-BU ratio of 0.6-0.8. After three days, the TTS BU patch was rem…
World Health Organization guidelines for cancer pain: a reappraisal
2005
Pain is a prevalent symptom experienced by at least 30% ofpatients undergoing an oncological treatment for metastaticdisease and by more than 70% of advanced cancer patients[1]. In 1986 the World Health Organization [2] published a setof guidelines for cancer pain management based on the three-step analgesic ladder [2]. The main aim of WHO guidelienswas to legitimize the prescribing of strong opioids, arisingfrom evidence of poor management of cancer pain, due toreluctance of health care professionals, institutions, and gov-ernment to use opioids because of fears of addition, toleranceand illegal abuse.Its application is reported to achieve satisfactory pain reliefin up to 90% of patients w…