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Opioids: Basic Concepts in Clinical Practice

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Essentials of Pain Management

Abstract

For centuries, opioids have been utilized to relieve pain and suffering. In current practice, opiates are employed to provide analgesia arising from both acute and chronic conditions. Acutely, opioids are most commonly used to treat pain following injury, surgery, or labor and delivery. They are also used to treat discomfort arising from exacerbations of medical disorders. In addition, opiates have been used in lower doses to treat cough; and they can also be effective in causing constipation or treating diarrhea. It is important to remember, however, that opiates merely treat these symptoms; the underlying disease remains.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Louisiana State University School of Medicine, New Orleans, LA, USA

    Geremy L. Sanders MD, MS (Assistant Professor of Anesthesiology) & Alan D. Kaye MD, PhD (Professor and Chairman, Professor of Pharmacology, Director, Adjunct Professor, Adjunct Associate Professor)

  2. Department of Anesthesiology, Alton Ochsner Clinic and Hospital, New Orleans, LA, USA

    Michael P. Sprintz DO (Clinical Staff)

  3. Department of Anesthesiology, Louisiana State University School of Medicine, New Orleans, LA, USA

    Ryan P. Ellender MD (Chief Resident) & Alan D. Kaye MD, PhD (Professor and Chairman, Professor of Pharmacology, Director, Adjunct Professor, Adjunct Associate Professor)

  4. Department of Anesthesiology, University of Miami School of Medicine, Miami, FL, USA

    Alecia L. Sabartinelli MD (Resident)

  5. Interventional Pain Services, Louisiana State University School of Medicine, New Orleans, LA, USA

    Alan D. Kaye MD, PhD (Professor and Chairman, Professor of Pharmacology, Director, Adjunct Professor, Adjunct Associate Professor)

  6. Department of Anesthesiology, Tulane University School of Medicine, New Orleans, LA, USA

    Alan D. Kaye MD, PhD (Professor and Chairman, Professor of Pharmacology, Director, Adjunct Professor, Adjunct Associate Professor)

  7. Department of Pharmacology, Tulane University School of Medicine, New Orleans, LA, USA

    Alan D. Kaye MD, PhD (Professor and Chairman, Professor of Pharmacology, Director, Adjunct Professor, Adjunct Associate Professor)

Authors
  1. Geremy L. Sanders MD, MS
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  2. Michael P. Sprintz DO
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  3. Ryan P. Ellender MD
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  4. Alecia L. Sabartinelli MD
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  5. Alan D. Kaye MD, PhD
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Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. School of Medicine, Dept. Anesthesiology, Yale University, Cedar Street 333, New Haven, 06520-8051, Connecticut, USA

    Nalini Vadivelu

  2. Brigham & Women's Hospital, Dept. Anesthesia, Harvard Medical School, Francis St. 75, Boston, 02115, Massachusetts, USA

    Richard D. Urman

  3. School of Medicine, Dept. Anesthesiology, Yale University, Cedar Street 333, New Haven, 06520-8051, Connecticut, USA

    Roberta L. Hines

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© 2011 Springer Science+Business Media, LLC

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Sanders, G.L., Sprintz, M.P., Ellender, R.P., Sabartinelli, A.L., Kaye, A.D. (2011). Opioids: Basic Concepts in Clinical Practice. In: Vadivelu, N., Urman, R., Hines, R. (eds) Essentials of Pain Management. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-0-387-87579-8_8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-0-387-87579-8_8

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, New York, NY

  • Print ISBN: 978-0-387-87578-1

  • Online ISBN: 978-0-387-87579-8

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