Articles: analgesia.
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Subcutaneous injection of dilute formalin in the hind paw of the rat produces a biphasic nociceptive response. Initial C-fiber activity is accompanied by flinching of the paw for about 5 min (phase 1), followed by cessation of activity and resumption of flinching beginning 15 min after injection and lasting about 40 min or more (phase 2). The second phase depends on changes in dorsal horn cell function that occur shortly after the initial C-fiber discharge. It was previously shown that isoflurane, administered during phase 1, reduced phase 2 activity, but a combination of isoflurane and nitrous oxide given throughout phase 1 did not suppress spinal sensitization. The same model was used to determine the effects of several inhalation and intravenous anesthetic agents on phase 2 of the formalin test. ⋯ Volatile anesthetics or nitrous oxide significantly suppress spinal sensitization, whereas the combination of nitrous oxide plus halothane causes no suppression. Thiopental does not affect spinal sensitization, whereas propofol causes significant suppression. These results may have important implications regarding the development of postoperative pain.
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According to the World Health Organisation, a country's morphine consumption is an important indicator of progress in cancer pain relief. Due to its very high opioid consumption, Denmark is often pointed out as a country worthy of imitation. The aim of the present study was to analyse Danish opioid consumption in order to elucidate the usage pattern and to identify the consumers. ⋯ The consumption of long acting opioids (sustained release morphine, methadone, buprenorphine) and short acting opioids (others) increased by 1427% and 105%, respectively. Analysis of a sample of 1854 prescriptions for opioids revealed that less than 10% of the prescriptions were issued for cancer pain conditions. It is concluded: that if other countries consider Denmark as worthy of imitation in opioid treatment for cancer pain, attention should be paid to the pattern of the Danish opioid consumption, which is outstanding with respect to quantity but the quality may be questionable.
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Psychother Psychosom · Jan 1995
To control or to be controlled? From health locus of control to morphine control during patient-controlled analgesia.
We postulated that patients with an internal locus of control, i.e. those who like to control their health problems themselves, would adapt more adequately to the 'patient-controlled analgesia' technique as compared to patients with an external health locus of control, who do not believe in their own control. Since contradicting studies have been published on this matter, we investigated relations between the demand for analgesics, perceived pain in the postoperative phase, and the health locus of control in the postoperative context of cardiac surgery. Findings demonstrate distinct utilization patterns between subjects with internal or external locus of control concerning total morphine consumption, number of unsatisfied demands and reduction of perceived pain.
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Patient-controlled analgesia (PCA) is a newer technique for pain management. Patients are allowed to self-administer small analgesic bolus doses, which have been preprogrammed by the physician, into a running intravenous infusion, intramuscularly, subcutaneously or even into the epidural space. Patients' demands are mostly controlled by computer-driven infusion pumps, but can also be delivered by simple disposable devices. ⋯ It is suggested that PCA results should be used for the improvement of conventional techniques. PCA has also been found valuable for scientific pain studies, e.g. to determine predictors of postoperative pain, drug interactions and pharmacokinetic experiments. This review concentrates on intravenous PCA during the early postoperative period.