open access
Breakthrough pain in patients with chronic cancer pain followed by palliative care and pain clinic physicians — an observational study
open access
Abstract
Material and methods. Six hundred seventy eight patients participated in the study. The common demographic
(age, sex), disease-related, background pain (including mode and effectiveness of treatment) data
were collected. The information about breakthrough pain occurrence, number of episodes, BtP management,
frequency of rescue medications dosing and effectiveness of these medications were also collected.
Results. Over 75% of them had been prescribed strong opioid and almost 25% of the patients — weak opioid.
58% had uncontrolled background pain. BtP was reported by 69,3% of these patients, most commonly one
or two episodes per day. Only 3% of patients experienced more than 4 episodes a day. As a rescue medication
patients usually used morphine, followed by nonsteroidal antiinflamatory drugs and paracetamol, but
statistically not every time they experienced the BtP.
Conclusion. This study confirmed that patients followed by palliative care outpatients and pain clinics receive
information about background and breakthrough pain, and are well orientated in pain medications. The
problem emerges in proper utilization of rescue medications, most commonly prescribed as oral.
Adv. Pall. Med. 2011; 10, 1: 29–34
Abstract
Material and methods. Six hundred seventy eight patients participated in the study. The common demographic
(age, sex), disease-related, background pain (including mode and effectiveness of treatment) data
were collected. The information about breakthrough pain occurrence, number of episodes, BtP management,
frequency of rescue medications dosing and effectiveness of these medications were also collected.
Results. Over 75% of them had been prescribed strong opioid and almost 25% of the patients — weak opioid.
58% had uncontrolled background pain. BtP was reported by 69,3% of these patients, most commonly one
or two episodes per day. Only 3% of patients experienced more than 4 episodes a day. As a rescue medication
patients usually used morphine, followed by nonsteroidal antiinflamatory drugs and paracetamol, but
statistically not every time they experienced the BtP.
Conclusion. This study confirmed that patients followed by palliative care outpatients and pain clinics receive
information about background and breakthrough pain, and are well orientated in pain medications. The
problem emerges in proper utilization of rescue medications, most commonly prescribed as oral.
Adv. Pall. Med. 2011; 10, 1: 29–34
Keywords
breakthrough pain; cancer pain; palliative care outpatient; pain clinic
Title
Breakthrough pain in patients with chronic cancer pain followed by palliative care and pain clinic physicians — an observational study
Journal
Advances in Palliative Medicine
Issue
Pages
29-34
Published online
2011-04-26
Page views
522
Article views/downloads
1275
Bibliographic record
Advances in Palliative Medicine 2011;10(1):29-34.
Keywords
breakthrough pain
cancer pain
palliative care outpatient
pain clinic
Authors
Marcin Janecki
Joanna Janecka