Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Drugs, driving and traffic safety in acute and chronic pain

  • Chapter
Drugs, Driving and Traffic Safety

Abstract

Pain is a common reason for seeking health care and the economical burden of pain to society is high. Careful estimates state that 20% of the population has chronic pain, defined as pain which persists for a longer period, usually taken to be 3 or more months. Chronic pain severely disrupts various aspects of daily life. Unemployment, disability, and relational problems are frequently encountered among individuals with chronic pain. Chronic pain may have negative effects on driving ability. Effective treatment of pain is thus important, both in terms of improved quality of life of the patient and traffic safety. Several classes of pharmacological agents are being used to treat pain. Unfortunately with the currently available treatment options, pain is often not completely relieved. Furthermore, many of the pharmacological agents have side effects that may affect driving in its turn. This chapter provides an overview of the recent insights on the effects of pain and its treatment with pharmacological agents on driving ability and traffic safety.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution
Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 169.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Hardcover Book
USD 219.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

Preview

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

References

  1. Merskey H, Bogduk N (eds.) (1994) Classification of chronic pain: descriptions of chronic pain syndromes and definitions of pain terms, 2nd Edition. IASP Press, Seattle

    Google Scholar 

  2. Bromm B, Lorenz J (1998) Neurophysiological evaluation of pain. Clin Neurophysiol 107: 227–253

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  3. Loeser JD, Melzack R (1999) Pain: an overview. Lancet 353: 1607–1609

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  4. Gureje O, von Korff M, Simon G, Gater R (1998) Persistent pain and well-being. A World Health Organization Study in Primary Care. JAMA 280: 147–151

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  5. Berkley KJ, Zalcman SS, Simon VR (2006) Sex and gender differences in pain and inflammation: a rapidly maturing field. Am J Physiol Regul Integr Comp Physiol 291: R241–244

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  6. Greenspan JD, Craft RM, LeResche L, Arendt-Nielsen L, Berkely KJ, Filligim RB, Gold MS, Holdcroft A, Lautenbacher S, Mayer EA, et al. (2007) Consensus working group of the Sex, Gender and Pain SIG of the IASP. Studying sex and gender differences in pain and analgesia: a consensus report. Pain 132: S26–S45

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  7. Breitvik H, Collett B, Ventafridda V, Cohen R, Gallacher D (2006) Survey of chronic pain in Europe: Prevalence, impact on daily life, and treatment. Eur J Pain 10: 287–333

    Article  Google Scholar 

  8. Turk DC (2002) Clinical effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of treatments for patients with chronic pain. Clin J Pain 18: 355–365

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  9. Campbell LC, Clauw DJ, Keefe FJ (2003) Persistent pain and depression: a biopsychosocial perspective. Biol Psychiatry 54: 399–409

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  10. Lame IE, Peters ML, Vlaeyen JW, Kleef M, Patijn J (2005) Quality of life in chronic pain is more associated with beliefs about pain, than with pain intensity. Eur J Pain 9: 15–24

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  11. Severijns R, Vlaeyen JW, van den Hout MA, Picavet HS (2005) Pain catastrophizing and consequences of musculoskeletal pain: a prospective study in the Dutch community. J Pain 6: 125–132

    Article  Google Scholar 

  12. O’Hanlon JF, Haak TW, Blaauw GJ, Riemersma JB (1982) Diazepam impairs lateral position control in highway driving. Science 217: 79–81

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  13. O’Hanlon JF (1984) Driving performance under the influence of drugs: rationale for, and application of, a new test. Br J Clin Pharmacol 18: S121–S129

    Google Scholar 

  14. Louwerens JW, Gloerich ABM, De Vries G (1987) The relationship between drivers’ blood alcohol concentration (BAC) and actual driving performance during high speed travel. In: Noordzij PC, Roszbach R (eds.): Alcohol, Drugs and Traffic Safety. Proceedings of the 10th International Conference on Alcohol, Drugs and Traffic Safety. Excerpta Medica, Amsterdam, 183–192

    Google Scholar 

  15. Kaszniak AW, Keyl PM, Albert MS (1991) Dementia and the older driver. Hum Factors 33: 527–537

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  16. Koepsell TD, Wolf M, McCloskey L, Buchner DM, Louie D, Wagner EH (1994) Medical conditions and motor vehicle collision injuries in older adults. J Am Geriatr Soc 42: 695–700

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  17. McGwin G, Sims RV, Pulley L, Roseman JM (2000) Relations among chronic medical conditions, medications, and automobile crashes in the elderly: a population-based casecontrol study. Am J Epidemiol 152: 424–431

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  18. Guibert R, Duarte-Franco E, Ciampi A, Potvin L, Loiselle J, Philibert L (1998) Medical conditions and the risk of motor vehicle crashes in men. Arch Fam Med 7: 554–558

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  19. Lagarde E, Chastang J-F, Lafont S, Coeuret-Pellicer M, Chiron M (2005) Pain and pain treatment were associated with traffic accident involvement in a cohort of middle-aged workers. J Clin Epidemiol 58: 524–531

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  20. Eccleston C (1994) Chronic pain and attention: A cognitive approach. Br J Clin Psychol 33: 535–547

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  21. Eccleston C (1995) Chronic pain and distraction: an experimental investigation into the role of sustained and shifting attention in the processing of chronic persistent pain. Behav Res Ther 33: 391–405

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  22. Grisart JM, Plaghki LH (1999) Impaired selective attention in chronic pain patients. Eur J Pain 3: 325–333

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  23. Dick BD, Connolly JF, McGrath PJ, Finley GA, Stroink G, Houlihan ME, Clark AJ (2003) The disruptive effect of chronic pain on mismatch negativity. Clin Neurophysiol 114: 1497–1506

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  24. Veldhuijzen DS, van Wijck AJM, Kalkman CJ, Kenemans JL, Olivier B, Volkerts ER (2006) Processing capacity in chronic pain patients: a visual event-related potentials study. Pain 121: 60–68

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  25. Van Damme S, Crombez G, Eccleston C (2002) Retarded disengagement from pain cues: the effects of pain catastrophizing and pain expectancy. Pain 100: 111–118

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  26. Houlihan ME, McGrath PJ, Connolly JF, Stroink G, Finley GA, Dick B, Phi TT (2004) Assessing the effect of pain on demands for attentional resources using ERPs. Int J Psychophysiol 51: 181–187

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  27. Eccleston C, Crombez G, Aldrich S, Stannard C (1997) Attention and somatic awareness in chronic pain. Pain 72: 209–215

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  28. Veldhuijzen DS, van Wijck AJ, Wille F, Verster JC, Kenemans JL, Kalkman CJ, Olivier B, Volkerts ER (2006) Effect of chronic nonmalignant pain on highway driving performance. Pain 122: 28–35

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  29. Backonja MM (2003) Defining neuropathic pain. Anesth Analg 97: 785–790

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  30. Kidd BL, Urban LA (2001) Mechanisms of inflammatory pain. Br J Anesth 87: 3–11

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  31. Kandel ER, Schwartz JH, Jessell TM (2000) Principles of neural science. Fourth Edition. McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc, USA

    Google Scholar 

  32. Dworkin RH, O’Connor AB, Backonja M, Farrar JT, Finnerup NB, Jensen TS, Kalso EA, Loeser JD, Miaskowski C, Nurmikko TJ et al. (2007) Pharmacologic management of neuropathic pain: Evidence-based recommendations. Pain 132: 237–251

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  33. Samad TA, Moore KA, Sapirstein A, Billet S, Allchorne A, Poole S, Bonventre JV, Woolf CJ (2001) Interleukin-1a-mediated induction of Cox-2 in the CNS contributes to inflammatory pain hypersensitivity. Nature 410: 471–475

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  34. McQuay H (1999) Opioids in pain management. Lancet 353: 2229–2232

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  35. Kalso E, Edwards JE, Moore RA, McQuay HJ (2004) Opioids in chronic non-cancer pain: systematic review of efficacy and safety. Pain 112: 372–80

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  36. Moore RA, McQuay HJ (2005) Prevalence of opioid adverse events in chronic nonmalignant pain: systematic review of randomized trials of oral opioids. Arthr Res Ther 7: R104–R1051

    Article  Google Scholar 

  37. Hojsted J, Sjogren P (2007) Addiction to opioids in chronic pain patients: a literature review. Eur J Pain 11: 490–518

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  38. Eriksen J, Sjogren P, Bruera E, Ekholm O, Rasmussen NK (2006) Critical issues on opioids in chronic non-cancer pain: an epidemiological study. Pain 125: 172–179

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  39. Rowbotham MC, Twilling L, Davies PS, Reisner L, Taylor K, Mohr D (2003) Oral opioid therapy for chronic peripheral and central neuropathic pain. New Engl J Med 348: 1223–1232

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  40. Kingery WS (1997) A critical review of controlled clinical trials for peripheral neuropathic pain and complex regional pain syndromes. Pain 73: 123–139

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  41. Finnerup NB, Otto M, McQuay HJ, Jensen TS, Sindrup SH (2005) Algorithm for neuropathic pain treatment: an evidence based proposal. Pain 118: 289–305

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  42. Sindrup SH, Jensen TS (2001) Antidepressants in the treatment of neuropathic pain. In: Neuropathic pain: pathophysiology and treatment, Progress in pain research and management, Vol 21 Hansson PT, Fields HL, Hill RG, Marchettini P (eds.). IASP Press, Seattle

    Google Scholar 

  43. Veldhuijzen DS, Verster JC (2006) [Article in Dutch] Invloed van chronische pijn en de farmacologische behandeling van pijn op het rijgedrag van automobilisten. Modern Medicine 8: 45–48

    Google Scholar 

  44. Foley DJ, Wallace RB, Eberhard J (1995) Risk factors for motor vehicle crashes among older drivers in a rural community. J Am Geriatr Soc 43: 776–781

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  45. McGwin G, Sims RV, Pulley L, Roseman JM (2000) Relations among chronic medical conditions, medications, and automobile crashes in the elderly: a population-based casecontrol study. Am J Epidemiol 152: 424–431

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  46. Bradley CM, Nicholson AN Studies on performance with aspirin and paracetamol and with the centrally acting analgesics meptazinol and pentazocine (1987) Eur J Clin Pharmacol 32: 135–139

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  47. Verster JC, Veldhuijzen DS, Volkerts ER (2006) Effects of an opioid (oxycodone/paracetamol) and an NSAID (bromfenac) on driving ability, memory functioning, psychomotor performance, pupil size, and mood. Clin J Pain 22: 499–504

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  48. Ray WA, Fought RL, Decker MD (1992) Psychoactive drugs and the risk of injurious motor vehicle crashes in elderly drivers. Am J Epidemiol 136: 873–883

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  49. Leveille SG, Buchner DM, Koepsell TD, McCloskey LW, Wolf ME, Wagner EH (1994) Psychoactive medications and injurious motor vehicle collisions involving older drivers. Epidemiol 5: 591–598

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  50. Movig KLL, Mathijssen MPM, Nagel PHA, van Egmond T, de Gier JJ, Leufkens HGM, Egberts ACG (2004) Psychoactive substance use and the risk of motor vehicle accidents. Acc Anal Prev 36: 631–636

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  51. Zacny JP, Gutierrez S (2003) Characterizing the subjective, psychomotor, and physiological effects of oral oxycodone in non-drug-abusing volunteers. Psychopharmacol 170: 242–254

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  52. Zacny JP, Lichtor SA (2008) Within-subject comparison of the psychopharmacological profiles of oral oxycodone and oral morphine in non-drug-abusing volunteers. Psychopharmacol 196: 105–116

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  53. O’Neill WM, Hanks GW, Simpson P, Fallon MT, Jenkins E, Wesnes K (2000) The cognitive and psychomotor effects of morphine in healthy subjects: a randomized controlled trial of repeated (four) doses of dextropropoxyphene, morphine, lorazepam, and placebo. Pain 85: 209–215

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  54. Lorenz J, Beck H, Bromm B (1997) Cognitive performance, mood and experimental pain before and during morphine-induced analgesia in patients with chronic non-malignant pain. Pain 73: 369–375

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  55. Sjogren P, Olsen AK, Thomsen AB, Dalberg J (2000) Neuropsychological performance in cancer patients: the role of oral opioids, pain and performance status. Pain 86: 237–245

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  56. Sjogren P, Thomsen AB, Olsen AK (2000) Impaired neuropsychological performance in chronic nonmalignant pain patient s receiving long-term oral opioid therapy. J Pain Symptom Manage 19: 100–108

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  57. Dellemijn PLI, van Duijn H, Vanneste JAL (1998) Prolonged treatment with transdermal fentanyl in neuropathic pain. J Pain Symptom Manage 16: 220–229

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  58. Kress HG, Kraft B (2005) Opioid medication and driving ability. Eur J Pain 2: 141–144

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  59. Vainio A, Ollila J, Matikainen E, Rosenberg P, Kalso E (1995) Driving performance in cancer patients receiving long-term morphine analgesia. Lancet 346: 667–670

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  60. Galski T, Williams B, Ehle HAT (2000) Effects of opioids on driving ability. J Pain Symp Manag 2000 19: 200–208

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  61. Sabatowski R, Schwalen S, Rettig K, Herberg KW, Kasper SM, Radbruch L (2003) Driving ability under long-term treatment with transdermal fentanyl. J Pain Symp Manag 25: 38–47

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  62. Byas-Smith MG, Chapman SL, Reed B, Cotsonis G (2005) The effects of opioids on driving and psychomotor performance in patients with chronic pain. Clin J Pain 21: 345–352

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  63. Dagtekin O, Gerbershagen HJ, Wagner W, Petzke F, Radbruch L, Sabatowski R (2007) Assessing cognitive and psychomotor performance under long-term treatment with transdermal buprenorphine in chronic noncancer pain patients. Anesth Analg 105: 1442–1448

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  64. Gaertner J, Elsner F, Radbruch L, Kolibay F, Theusohn M, Berghaus G, Gerbershagen HJ, Dagtekin O, Sabatowski R (2008) Influence of changes to daily dose of opioids on aspects of cognitive and psychomotor performance involved in driving. Schmerz 22: 433–441

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  65. Fishbain DA, Cutler RB, Rosomoff HL, Rosomoff RS (2002) Can patients taking opioids drive safely? A structured evidence-based review. J Pain Palliative Care Pharmacother 16: 9–28

    Article  Google Scholar 

  66. Hanks GW (1995) Morphine sans Morpheus. Lancet 346: 652–653

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  67. Zacny JP (1996) Should people taking opioids for medical reasons be allowed to work and drive? Addiction 91: 1581–1584

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  68. Barbone F, McMahon AD, Davey PG, Morris AD, Reid IC, McDevitt DG, MacDonald TM (1998) Association of road-traffic accidents with benzodiazepine use. Lancet 352: 1331–1336

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  69. Ramaekers JG (2003) Antidepressants and driver impairment: empirical evidence from a standard on-the-road test. J Clin Psychiatry 64: 20–29

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  70. O’Hanlon JF, Robbe HW, Vermeeren A, van Leeuwen C, Danjou PE (1998) Venlafaxine’s effects on healthy volunteers’ driving, psychomotor, and vigilance performance during 15-day fixed and incremental dosing regimens. J Clin Psychopharm 18: 212–221

    Article  Google Scholar 

  71. Robbe HW, O’Hanlon JF (1995) Acute and subchronic effects of paroxetine 20 and 40 mg on actual driving, psychomotor performance and subjective assessments in healthy volunteers. Eur Neuropsychopharmacol 5: 35–42

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  72. Ramaekers JG, Muntjewerff ND, O’Hanlon JF (1995) A comparative study if acute and subchronic effects of dothiepin, fluoxetine and placebo on psychomotor and actual driving performance. Br J Clin Pharmacol 39: 397–404

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  73. Ramaekers JG, Swijgman HF, O’Hanlon JF (1992) Effects of moclobemide and mianserin on highway driving, psychometric performance and subjective parameters, relative to placebo. Psychopharmacol 106: S62–S67

    Article  Google Scholar 

  74. Van Laar MW, van Willigenburg AP, Volkerts ER (1995) Acute and subchronic effects of nefazodone and imipramine on highway driving, cognitive functions, and daytime sleepiness in healthy adult and elderly subjects. J Clin Psychopharmacol 15: 30–40

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  75. Veldhuijzen DS, van Wijck AJM, Verster JC, Kalkman CJ, Kenemans JL, Olivier B, Volkerts ER (2006) Acute and subchronic effects of amitriptyline 25 mg on actual driving in chronic neuropathic pain patients. J Psychopharmacol 20: 782–788

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  76. Taylor CP (2004) The biology and pharmacology of calcium channel a2-a proteins. CNS Drug Rev 10: 183–188

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  77. Loring DW, Marino S, Meador KJ (2007) Neuropsychological and behavioral effects of antiepilepsy drugs. Neuropsychol Rev 17: 413–425

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  78. Ramaekers JG, Lamers J, Verhey F, Muntjewerff D, Mobbs E, Sanders N, Lewis M, Lockton A (2002) A comparative study of the effects of carbamazepine and the NMDA receptor antagonist remacemide on road tracking and car-following performance in actual traffic. Psychopharmacol 159: 203–210

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  79. Tran KT, Hranicky D, Lark T, Jacob NJ (2005) Gabapentin withdrawal syndrome in the presence of a taper. Bipolar Disorders 7: 302

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  80. Veldhuijzen DS, van Wijck AJM, Verster JC, Kalkman CJ, Kenemans JL, Olivier B, Volkerts ER (2006) The impact of patients’ psychotropic drug knowledge and warning labels on the decision whether to drive a car or not. Traffic Injury Prev 7: 360–364

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Pain Clinic, Division of Perioperative Care and Emergency Medicine, University Medical Center Utrecht, Rudolf Magnus Institute of Neurosciences, Heidelberglaan 100, 3584 CX, Utrecht, The Netherlands

    Dieuwke S. Veldhuijzen, Anne Mieke Karsch & Albert J.M. van Wijck

Authors
  1. Dieuwke S. Veldhuijzen
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Anne Mieke Karsch
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Albert J.M. van Wijck
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Utrecht University Faculty of Science Section Psychopharmacology, Utrecht Institute for Pharmaceutical Sciences, P.O. Box 80082, 3508 TB, Utrecht, The Netherlands

    Joris C. Verster

  2. Somnogen Inc., 8790 112th Street, New York, NY, 11418, USA

    S. R. Pandi-Perumal

  3. Experimental Psychopharmacology Unit, Department of Neuropsychology & Psychopharmacology Faculty of Psychology and Neurosciences, Maastricht University, 6200 MD, Maastricht, The Netherlands

    Johannes G. Ramaekers

  4. Department of Pharmacotherapy and Pharmaceutical Care, University of Groningen, Antonius Deusinglaan 1, 9713 AV, Groningen, The Netherlands

    Johan J. de Gier

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2009 Birkhäuser Verlag/Switzerland

About this chapter

Cite this chapter

Veldhuijzen, D.S., Karsch, A.M., van Wijck, A.J. (2009). Drugs, driving and traffic safety in acute and chronic pain. In: Verster, J.C., Pandi-Perumal, S.R., Ramaekers, J.G., de Gier, J.J. (eds) Drugs, Driving and Traffic Safety. Birkhäuser Basel. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-7643-9923-8_22

Download citation

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation