Publication year
2011Source
European Journal of General Practice, 17, 4, (2011), pp. 229-232ISSN
Annotation
1 december 2011
Publication type
Article / Letter to editor

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Organization
Primary and Community Care
Journal title
European Journal of General Practice
Volume
vol. 17
Issue
iss. 4
Page start
p. 229
Page end
p. 232
Subject
NCEBP 7: Effective primary care and public healthAbstract
Opioids have been used for thousands of years for pain relief. Transdermal fentanyl (TDF) is a synthetic opioid that is prescribed for the treatment of chronic pain. This clinical lesson demonstrates that TDF may be easy to start but sometimes difficult to stop. Like any other opioid there is a substantial risk of physical dependence and subsequent withdrawal symptoms after discontinuation of the drug. Here, we present a case of a hospice patient who developed withdrawal symptoms after a first TDF tapering attempt according to the manufacturer's instructions. A second, more gradual tapering regimen did not result in withdrawal symptoms. The mechanisms and treatment modalities for physical dependence along with a tailor-made tapering strategy that is suitable for general practice are presented in this clinical lesson.
This item appears in the following Collection(s)
- Academic publications [205104]
- Faculty of Medical Sciences [81055]
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