The discovery of morphine, which occurred in 1803, transformed the medical treatment of pain and chronic diseases (Levinthal, 2005). Morphine, a narcotic or opioid, is widely used in the medical field today and is specifically used therapeutically to treat moderate to severe pain in individuals. The most common routes of administration for morphine are oral and intravenous administration (Angel, Gould, Carey, 1998). Morphine acts by binding to opioid receptors in the brain and thus reduces the perception of pain and emotional responses to pain (Weil and Winifred, 2004). The paper will focus on the therapeutic uses of morphine for individuals. Morphine is used in the treatment of pain with individuals suffering from cancer and acute myocardial infarction. Morphine is also administered to patients after surgery to decrease pain and is even thought to decrease the chances of developing posttraumatic stress disorder (Busse, 2006; Herlitz, Hjalmarson, and Waagstein, 1989; Levin, 2010). Morphine Administration to Cancer Patients According to World Health Organization, cancer pain can be controlled effectively with oral morphine in up to 90% of individuals with cancer (Ahmed, et al. 2010). Cancer patients benefit significantly from the effects of morphine on severe or chronic pain (Weil and Winifred 2004). A common treatment plan for cancer patients is to follow the “analgesic ladder” approach. The first step in this approach is to administer a non-opioid analgesic, such as aspirin, paracetamol, or a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (Hanks, et al., 1996). Secondly, a week opioid is administered to the individual. Once the weak opioid is proven inadequate the third step is followed and a strong opioid is administered. ... ... middle of paper ... ...tic efferent discharge. (Zelis, et al., 1974). The capacity of the peripheral vascular bed is increased and has reduced systemic venous return (Vasko, 1966). “Medical Phlebotomy” is a term that is commonly used to describe the effects of morphine of pulmonary edema (Vismara, Leaman, and Zelis, 1976). Unfortunately, morphine can have side effects that may result in suppression of the central nervous system and ventilator failure. In addition, morphine may aggravate bradycaradia, hypotension, and in small cases respiratory depression. Naloxone is given to patients in order to aid in reversing these negative effects of morphine. With large doses of morphine, nausea and vomiting are potential side effects and may be treated with a phenothiazine. For theses reasons, morphine continues to be researched for the treatment of pulmonary edema (Cotter, et al., 2001).
In medical school/pharmacology school, medical professionals are taught to treat severe pain with opioids. However, opioids should be prescribed with the possibility of future dependency in mind. Physicians often struggle with whether they should prescribe opioids or seek alternative methodologies. This ethical impasse has led may medical professionals to prescribe opioids out of sympathy, without regard for the possibility of addiction (Clarke). As previously stated, a way to address this is use alternative methods so that physicians will become more acquainted to not not treating pain by means of opioid
Almost one hundred years ago, prescription drugs like morphine were available at almost any general store. Women carried bottles of very addictive potent opiate based pain killers in their purse. Many individuals like Edgar Allen Poe died from such addictions. Since that time through various federal, state and local laws, drugs like morphine are now prescription drugs; however, this has not stopped the addiction to opiate based pain killers. Today’s society combats an ever increasing number of very deadly addictive drugs from designer drugs to narcotics to the less potent but equally destructive alcohol and marijuana. With all of these new and old drugs going in and out of vogue with addicts, it appears that the increase of misuse and abuse is founded greater in the prescription opiate based painkillers.
If the drug is being used primarily to treat severe pain not responsive to other analgesics, in a painful terminal condition, (such as advanced widespread cancer), it may ...
The pain-killing and pleasurable effects of morphine, the narcotic drug derived from the opium poppy, is widely known. Endorphins are surprising similarity to morphine. It was termed “endorphin” from endogenous (meaning within) and morphine (morphine being a pain killer). It was wondered why morphine and other opiate drugs should produce such powerful effects on the nervous system. Thus, the discovery of endorphins followed the realization that certain regions of the brain bound opiate drugs with high affinity. Endorphins were discovered nearly on accident in the 1970s by scientists doing research on drug addiction. It was found that the brain produces its own set of neurochemicals far more powerful than morphine but share the same receptors.
In the late 1800’s it was discovered that papa-amino-phenol, could reduce fever, but the drug was too toxic to use. A less toxic extract called phenacetin was later found to be just as effective but also had pain-relieving properties. In 1949, it was learned that phenacetin was metabolized into an active but also less toxic drug, acetaminophen. Since then, acetaminophen has been sold under many over the counter brand names, most popular being Tylenol.
Morphine has been used for many years in different cultures, and for different reasons. It has been abused, demolished, revived, and manufactured. It has saved many lives and ruined many more. It is the drug of choice for many who feel they need something to numb out the bad, and forget about the real. It is also the prescription of choice for men and women who just want to have their lives back. Although morphine addicts go through hell during their withdrawal stages, and how awful the drug can be through abuse, it offers very much to a wide array of patients suffering from diseases such as cancer, severe back pain, kidney stones, and pain associated in trauma.
In 1805, morphine and codeine were isolated from opium, and morphine served as a cure for opium addiction since its addictive characteristics were not known. Morphine’s use as a treatment for opium addiction was initially well received, as morphine has about ten times more euphoric effects than the equivalent amount of opium. Over the years, however, morphine abuse has increased. Heroin was synthesized from morphine in 1874 by an English chemist, but was not made commercially until 1898 by the Bayer Pharmaceutical Company. Attempts were proposed to use heroin in place of morphine due to problems of morphine abuse.
Effective treatment of cancer pain is essential for ensuring the best outcomes for cancer patients, in terms of physical, psychological and social aspects. Although there are no NICE guidelines for management of cancer pain, WHO guidance should be used to inform clinical practice. Careful assessment is a critical element of the process to ensure that patients are offered the treatment which is likely to offer the best outcomes, yet without providing a greater than necessary risk of complications such as tolerance and addiction to opioids. The main outcome that this paper highlights is that “Pain is what the patient says it is and exists when he says it does” (McCaffery 1983
Opioid overprescribing is becoming major epidemic in the united state. Epidemiologic data from 2012 National Survey on Drug use and health states that 12.5 million American reported opioids abuse (3). Medications such as prescribed opioids have the ability to generate physical and psychoactive effects, which can alter consciousness and the ability to feel pain. Almost all civilizations have individuals who choose to use these drugs and often become dependent on the substance they are using. It is important to recognize though that these drugs do create some harmful effects such as altering natural functioning areas of the brain. They also help aids acute and chronic pain. From a historical prescriptive, opioid prescription shows that opioids
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In the present day there is a harsh stigma towards the use of opioid narcotic medication. Stories of addiction and overdose are passed around. The media is brimming with panic over the use of these medications. By and large, this can be seen as more of an overdose crisis than an opioid crisis. Federal and medical guidelines for prescribing opioid medications have changed drastically over the last several years because of this epidemic. Unfortunately, due to the increasing level of abuse that these medications are associated with, people with chronic pain are untreated, undermedicated, and suffering. Opiate narcotics, when used properly by responsible patients, are invaluable in alleviating acute or chronic cases of moderate to severe pain.
Opiods are the most popular class of drugs used for post-cesarean analgesia. They are most useful in treatment of somatic pain. Use of morphine, diamorphine, fentanyl, sufentanil, meperidine, nalbuphine and buprenorphine is well documented. The various opiods differ in their potency and severity of side effects. A discussion of the merits and de-merits of each is beyond the scope of this article. The common minor side effects include nausea, vomiting, pruritus, shivering and urinary retention. Respiratory depression, especially late-onset, is a more dreaded complication.
Potent pain medication contains the aspects of utilizing medications such as morphine or demerol, how the medications are dispensed, and t...
Aranella, Cheryl, MD., M.P.H. Use of Opiates to Manage Pain in the Seriously and Terminally Ill Patient. American Hospice Foundation, 2006. Web. 7 November 2011.
Codeine is naturally occurring opiate from the poppy plant and is an agonist of µ opioid receptors in the central nervous system, leading to analgesic effects. There are three other opioid receptors (delta, kappa, and the nociceptin orphanin peptide receptor). Opioids acting at the µ receptor have demonstrated significant decreases in pain (Fields, 2011). Codeine is typically prescribed as an oral medication to treat mild to moderate pain, such as cancer pain (Bernard et al., 2006). It is also used as a cough suppressant and as an antidiarrheal medication. Although the main effect of this drug is analgesia, side effects include respiratory depression, constipation, nausea, vomiting, skin rashes, and euphoria followed by dysphoria. In the present day, codeine is mainly synthesized by pharmacological companies and as a pro-drug of morphine. Most of the metabolites of codeine have similar affinities for the µ receptor, except for morphine and its metabolite, morphine-6-glucuronide (Caraco et al., 1996). Morphine has an affinity 200-fold higher to this receptor than codeine, which may help explain the addictive characteristic. Other opioids that act on this receptor include heroin and oxycodone, also having high addiction potential (Fields, 2011). Heroin is more potent than both codeine and morphine.