Journal of palliative medicine
-
Randomized Controlled Trial Comparative Study
Intravenous versus subcutaneous morphine titration in patients with persisting exacerbation of cancer pain.
Patients with cancer pain with initially adequate analgesia under oral sustained-release opioid medication may suffer from persisting pain exacerbations. Sometimes even fast help is needed and then optimally performed by intravenous application (IVA) of immediate-release (IR) opioids. This IVA, however, may only be performed by physicians in Germany. ⋯ Intravenous and subcutaneous-morphine titration are adequate to antagonize persisting pain exacerbations in cancer pain patients quickly and to adapt the continuous opioid analgesic medication.