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Do we use morphine often enough? An opinion survey in 100 rheumatology department patients.
- Source :
-
Joint bone spine [Joint Bone Spine] 2000; Vol. 67 (4), pp. 326-30. - Publication Year :
- 2000
-
Abstract
- Patients and Methods: Shortly before their discharge from a rheumatology department, 100 patients with a mean age of 54 +/- 16 years completed a 20-item questionnaire on morphine therapy. Pain scale scores were 77.1 +/- 19 at admission and 44.2 +/- 24 at questionnaire completion.<br />Results: Thirty-three patients, including 27 with spinal or nerve root disorders, received morphine during their stay. Five of these patients had a malignancy. Among patients who received morphine, 21% (6/29) were disappointed with the drug. Only four of the patients who did not receive morphine (4%) wished they had. Thirty-six percent of patients (30/83) reported previous morphine therapy given by a primary care physician (10/30) or a specialist (14/30) and/or in a hospital (22/30). Only five patients (5/100, 5%) said they regretted not having received morphine for past pain; however, 45% (35/78) of patients agreed with the suggestion that French physicians do not use morphine often enough. Most patients (82%, 65/77) agreed that morphine can be used to treat pain due to rheumatic disorders, although 92% (83/90) felt that morphine should be reserved for "intolerable" pain. Only 37% (34/92) of the patients were apprehensive about using morphine, 57% (45/79) were aware of the risk of dependency, 66% (44/79) of the risk of behavioral or attention disorders, and 53% (41/78) of the risk of tolerance.<br />Conclusion: Expectations of French rheumatology department patients about morphine use were roughly satisfactory. The mean pain scale score above which the patients felt morphine should be given was 70.5 +/- 20.
Details
- Language :
- English
- ISSN :
- 1297-319X
- Volume :
- 67
- Issue :
- 4
- Database :
- MEDLINE
- Journal :
- Joint bone spine
- Publication Type :
- Academic Journal
- Accession number :
- 10963082