비암성 통증 환자에서 아편 유사제 약물의 만성적 사용 증례 및 가이드라인 제안

Case Reports and Guideline Proposal About the Chronic Prescription of Opioids for Non-Cancer Pain

Opioid analgesics have been increasingly prescribed in recent years. In Korea, chronic opioid prescription has not common practice among physicians not treating cancer patients, and the lack of experience sometimes results in inadequate prescription and various medical and social problems. The authors have some experience with patients chronically using opioids. We have submitted a review paper to the Journal of Korean Neuropsychiatric Association (JKNPA) pertaining to chronic pain, opioid drugs, addiction, and the use of opioid medication. This paper is a “practical” version addressing the same topics, presenting cases, and guidelines. Here we present five of our patients chronically using opioid medications. Treatments seem to be successful for some patients, while not for other patients. After the case review, based on the author’s experience and existing literature, a simple guideline on the use of opioids in the treatment of chronic noncancer pain is proposed. This guideline is by no means comprehensive, and we hope in the future, that related experts would exert joint efforts to create better guidelines.