Vol 5, No 2 (2009)
Review paper
Published online: 2009-04-20
Constipation in opioid-treated patients
Onkol. Prak. Klin 2009;5(2):47-54.
Abstract
Constipation in opioid treated patients is typical side effect of opioid use of negative impact on the patients’
quality of life. The main mechanism of it occurance is the activity of opioid peropherally localized in the
intestine wall receptors agonists. There are other factors influing the clinical status e.g. an advanced diesease,
movability limits and dietetary restrictions. The constipation management requires a multidisciplinary
approach. The traditional laxatives are of limited efficacy in the opioid-related constipations. An effective
treatment could be a use of opioid agonists that are not passing the blood-brain barier so they are unable
to antagonize central analgesic effect nor cause the abstinence symptoms.These are exactly the features
of recently registered in Europe and available in Poland metylnaltrexone.
Keywords: opioidsconstipationpalliative carecancer pain
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