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آرشيو موضوعي |
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Common
Problems in Patients Recovering
from Chemical Dependency
EDNA MARIE JONES,
M.D., DOUG KNUTSON, M.D., and
DANELL HAINES, PH.D.
Ohio State University College of
Medicine and Public Health,
Columbus, Ohio
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Chemical dependency is a
common, chronic disease
that affects up to 25
percent of patients seen
in primary care
practices. The treatment
goal for patients
recovering from chemical
dependency should be to
avoid relapse. This
requires physicians to
have an open,
nonjudgmental attitude
and specific expertise
about the implications
of addiction for other
health problems.
First-line treatment for
chemical dependency
should be
nonpharmacologic, but
when medication is
necessary, physicians
should avoid drugs that
have the potential for
abuse or addiction.
Medications that sedate
or otherwise impair
judgment also should be
avoided in the
recovering patient.
Psychiatric illnesses
should be aggressively
treated, because
untreated symptoms
increase the risk of
relapse into chemical
dependency. Selective
serotonin reuptake
inhibitors may help to
lower alcohol
consumption in depressed
patients, and
desipramine may help to
facilitate abstinence in
persons addicted to
cocaine. If insomnia
extends beyond the acute
or postacute withdrawal
period, trazodone may be
an effective treatment.
If nonpharmacologic
management of pain is
not possible,
nonaddictive medications
should be used. However,
if nonaddictive
medications fail,
long-acting opiates used
under strict supervision
may be considered.
Uncontrolled pain in
itself is a relapse
risk. (Am Fam Physician
2003;68:1971-8.
Copyright© 2003 American
Academy of Family
Physicians.) |
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The date of the
patient's
sobriety should
be recorded in
the medical
record and
confirmed at
each visit.
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Chemical dependency is a
significant public health
problem1; up to 25
percent of patients seen in
primary care clinics have
alcohol or drug disorders.2
Family physicians who do not
recognize substance abuse in
their practices may not be
screening effectively. Research
now implicates pre-existing
brain abnormalities in the
development of addiction, noting
differences in the brains of
addicted persons even before
being exposed to the substance
of abuse.3
Current diagnostic criteria for
chemical dependency stress
tolerance to the substance, loss
of control, difficulties in
withdrawal, and the adverse
impact of the addiction on daily
function
(Table 1).4
The screening, diagnosis, and
treatment of chemical dependency
are critical skills for family
physicians and have been
addressed extensively.5-9
However, relatively less
attention has been given to
enabling family physicians to
provide long-term support to
patients recovering from
chemical addiction.
This article describes how to
care for patients recovering
from chemical dependency,
including special concerns that
arise during the treatment of
common medical conditions, to
avoid adverse outcomes or
relapse into addiction.
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TABLE 1
Criteria for
Chemical
Dependency
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A maladaptive
pattern of
substance use,
leading to
clinically
significant
impairment or
distress as
manifested by
three or more of
the following
(occurring at
any time in the
same 12-month
period):
Tolerance:
either a need
for markedly
increased
amounts of the
substance to
achieve
intoxication or
desired effect
or
a markedly
diminished
effect with
continued use of
the same amount
of the substance
Withdrawal:
either the
characteristic
withdrawal
syndrome for the
substance
or
the same or a
closely related
substance is
used to relieve
or avoid
withdrawal
symptoms
Escalation:
The substance
often is taken
in larger
amounts or over
a longer period
than was
intended.
There is
persistent
desire or
unsuccessful
efforts to cut
down or control
substance use.
A great deal of
time is spent in
activities
necessary to
obtain the
substance, use
the substance,
or recover from
its effects.
Important
social,
occupational, or
recreational
activities are
reduced or given
up because of
substance use.
The substance
use is continued
despite
knowledge of
having a
persistent or
recurrent
physical or
psychologic
problem that is
likely to have
been caused or
exacerbated by
the substance.
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Adapted with
permission from
American
Psychiatric
Association.
Diagnostic and
statistical
manual of mental
disorders:
DSM-IV. 4th ed.
Washington,
D.C.: American
Psychiatric
Association,
1994: 181.
Copyright 1994. |
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TABLE 2
General
Guidelines:
Caring for a
Patient
Recovering from
Chemical
Dependency
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-
Physician
attributes
-
Sensitive
-
Nonjudgmental
-
Supportive
- Open
- Aware
-
Charting
guidelines
- Record
sobriety
date in the
patient
chart.
- Confirm
sobriety
date at
every visit.
- Record
support or
12-step
groups
regularly
attended.
- Record
current
prescription
and
over-the-counter
medications.
- Update
the
medication
list at
every visit.
-
Prescribing
guidelines
- Use
nonpharmacologic
treatment as
the first
line of
therapy.
- Refer to
physical
therapy,
counseling,
or nutrition
support, as
appropriate.
- Avoid
mood-altering
or addictive
medications,
including
those that
alter
judgment.
- Provide
patient
education
regarding
specific
medications.
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Physician
Attributes and Charting
Guidelines
Once an addicted patient becomes
focused on recovery, extensive
and difficult lifestyle changes
must occur. Many recovering
addicts have had negative
experiences with health care
professionals.10
Some negative experiences may be
attributable to problems in
physicians' attitudes,
behaviors, or expertise in
addiction medicine. Another
possibility is inadvertent harm,
such as relapse precipitated by
a prescribed medication that
altered the patient's vigilance
and judgment.11
Physicians must be cautious,
sensitive, and nonjudgmental
when caring for addicted
patients. Heightened awareness
of addiction and its
ramifications, in addition to
open discussion with addicted
patients, should encourage trust
and lay the foundation for a
solid physicianpatient
relationship.
The patient should observe the
formal recording of his or her
sobriety date in the medical
chart.12 This
demonstrates the importance of
recovery and the joint
commitment of the physician and
patient to success. At every
patient visit, the sobriety date
should be confirmed and the
patient should be encouraged to
remain in successful recovery.
If the sobriety date changes,
the physician should remain
nonjudgmental, record the new
sobriety date, and discuss the
details of the relapse. When
planning for the success of the
renewed recovery, the physician
should inquire about and
document the patient's use of
support groups or 12-step
programs, and ask if the
patient's spouse, friends, and
significant others are
supportive of recovery or are
themselves using alcohol or
drugs.
Prescribing and General Care
Guidelines
At
every visit, the physician
should review all of the
medications, including
nonprescription drugs and herbal
supplements, that the patient is
currently taking. Patients with
chronic illnesses should be
reminded that maintaining
sobriety helps with the
successful treatment of other
medical and psychologic
conditions.13 The
relapsing patient is likely to
be noncompliant,14
whereas patients in recovery are
more likely to adhere to medical
advice.13 If the
recovering patient does not
comply with medical advice for
medical problems, this may
signal a relapse.
Recovering patients may be
reluctant to use medications,
fearing that they will
precipitate relapse. If
appropriate, physicians should
recommend nonpharmacologic
treatment (e.g., lifestyle
changes), as initial therapy.
Patients may require referrals
to learn stress reduction and
relaxation techniques, and
healthy eating and exercise
habits. When medications are
necessary for medical conditions
in recovering patients,
mood-altering or addictive drugs
should be avoided whenever
possible. Even nonaddictive,
nonprescription medications may
alter the patient's judgment,
triggering relapse behavior.
Patient education may alleviate
fears and reinforce patient
skills to avoid relapse. General
guidelines on caring for
patients recovering from
chemical dependency are provided
in Table 2.
Treatment of
Common Medical Problems During
Recovery
When treating common medical
problems such as respiratory
illness, obesity,
gastrointestinal conditions, and
pain disorders in patients
recovering from chemical
dependency, physicians should
avoid therapies that may cause
relapse (Table 3).
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TABLE 3
Considerations
in Treatment of
Common Medical
Conditions
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|
Condition |
Instead
of... |
Consider... |
|
Upper
respiratory
infections |
Sedating
antihistamines
(may
cause
fatigue
and
sedation,
or alter
judgment) |
Nonsedating
antihistamines
(loratadine
[Claritin],
cetirizine
[Zyrtec],
fexofenadine
[Allegra]),
nasal
steroids,
azelastine
(Astelin)
nasal
spray,
ipratropium
bromide
(Atrovent)
nasal
spray
(be
careful
using
nasal
sprays
in
addicts
who
snorted
their
drug of
choice) |
|
|
Decongestants
(may be
stimulating
and
trigger
relapse) |
Saline
nasal
spray,
sinus
irrigation |
| |
Dextromethorphan
or
opiate
cough
medications
(may
cause
sedation
and
alter
mood) |
Benzonatate
(Tessalon
Perles),
100 to
200 mg
three
times a
day as
needed
for
cough;
guaifenesin
(Humibid
L.A.),
600 to
1,200 mg
twice a
day as
needed
as an
expectorant |
|
Gastrointestinal
conditions |
Diphenoxylate-atropine
(Lomotil) |
Over-the-counter
antidiarrheals,
including
loperamide
(Imodium),
or
bismuth
compounds
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Chlordiazepoxide;
clidinium
bromide
(Librax)
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Dicyclomine
(Bentyl),
20 mg
four
times a
day as
needed;
hyoscyamine
sulfate
(Levsin),
0.125 mg
to 0.250
mg every
four
hours as
needed |
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Belladonna
alkaloids;
phenobarbital
(Donnatal) |
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Obesity |
Stimulants
(e.g.,
ephedra,
phentermine
[Fastin],
sibutramine
[Meridia]) |
Orlistat
(Xenical) |
|
Pain
disorders |
Opiate
medications
(may
cause
sedation
and
alter
mood) |
Acetaminophen,
500 to
1,000 mg
orally
every
four
hours as
needed,
nonsteroidal
anti-inflammatory
drugs |
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Acetaminophen,
dichloralphenazone,
isometheptene
mucate
(Midrin)
and
migraine
treatments
containing
butalbital |
Triptans |
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Carisoprodol
(Soma)
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Orphenadrine
(Norflex),
100 mg
twice a
day as
needed |
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RESPIRATORY
CONDITIONS
Patient education about the
self-limited nature of most
upper respiratory infections
allows the recovering patient to
choose whether to use
medications to control symptoms.
If medications are used, agents
to be avoided include sedating
antihistamines, stimulating
decongestants, and potentially
mood-altering cough
preparations.15
Dextromethorphan acts on the
brain's opioid receptors and may
cause euphoric effects. Persons
who abuse dextromethorphan,
commonly adolescents, may
develop respiratory depression
and perceptual distortions while
using the drug.15
Cough medications containing
opiates, such as codeine and
hydrocodone, are particularly
hazardous for recovering
patients.16
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When treating
health problems
in recovering
addicts,
physicians
should avoid
prescribing
medications that
are potentially
addictive and
that can alter
judgment.
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Respiratory problems in
recovering addicts who smoke
offer an excellent opportunity
for an intervention that targets
nicotine dependency. The
incidence of smoking is
significantly higher in
chemically dependent persons
than in the general population.
Combining pharmacotherapy with
cognitive and behavior therapies
may be helpful. Bupropion
(Wellbutrin) and
nicotine-replacement treatments
significantly increase the
chance of successful smoking
cessation.17
Applying principles of addiction
treatment, which often are
familiar to recovering patients,
to smoking cessation can promote
success. Patients recovering
from chemical dependency who
quit smoking in early recovery
do not have higher one-year
relapse rates than addicted
patients who continue to smoke.18
Recovering addicts with
depression are less likely to
successfully quit smoking and,
therefore, benefit from
depression treatment before
attempting smoking cessation.
GASTROINTESTINAL CONDITIONS
Common gastrointestinal
complaints such as
gastroenteritis, gastritis,
abdominal cramps, and diarrhea
may occur in recovering
patients. When treating
abdominal cramps in these
patients, special attention
should be paid to avoidance of
medications such as Donnatal,19(pp2571)
which contains phenobarbital and
scopolamine. If diarrhea occurs
and treatment is appropriate,
physicians should avoid
opiate-containing medications
such as Lomotil,19(pp3103)
diphenoxylate with atropine
sulfate (Drug Enforcement
Administration [DEA] schedule V
drug), or Motofen,19(pp568)
difenoxin with atropine
sulfate (DEA schedule IV drug),
or other medications that are
active in the central nervous
system. Bismuth subsalicylate
(Pepto-Bismol) and loperamide
(Imodium) are safe for
recovering patients to use.
Simethicone is a safe
antiflatulent. Caution is
advised when using antiemetics
such as prochlorperazine
(Compazine)19(pp1489)
or promethazine (Phenergan)19(pp3432)
because they may affect the
central nervous system.
OBESITY
As
with addiction, obesity is a
chronic illness that requires a
comprehensive management
approach, including education
about the health risks
associated with obesity,
laboratory and other diagnostic
studies to evaluate potential
causes or complications of
obesity, and assessment of the
patient's readiness to make
significant lifestyle changes.
First-line therapy generally
includes dietary education and
appropriate exercise instruction
that can be incorporated into
the patient's schedule.
Medications such as phentermine
(Fastin), phenylpropanolamine,
ephedra, and sibutramine (Meridia)
are systemic psychostimulants
with the potential for abuse or
addiction, and should not be
used in recovering patients.20
Orlistat (Xenical), a
nonsystemic medication, may be
used in conjunction with
lifestyle changes in recovering
patients who have no
contraindications to the drug.20
Treatment of Psychiatric
Comorbidity
In
patients recovering from
chemical dependency, psychiatric
symptoms are common but may be
difficult to evaluate. Such
symptoms may result from
chemical use, acute or postacute
withdrawal, or a primary
psychiatric condition. If
psychiatric symptoms persist or
worsen with abstinence, the
patient may have a primary
psychiatric disorder.
The patient who has a chemical
dependency and a primary
psychiatric disorder is
considered to be "dual
diagnosed." A period of
abstinence from two to eight
weeks is optimal before the
patient recovering from chemical
dependency is diagnosed with an
independent psychiatric
disorder.21 However,
the exact time frame may differ,
depending on the potential
comorbid diagnosis.21,22
When patients recovering from
addiction also have psychiatric
conditions, both illnesses must
be treated aggressively. An
untreated psychiatric disorder
may lead to an increased rate of
addiction relapse.21
It is important to consider
potential alcohol-drug and
drug-drug interactions, or
possible life-threatening
reactions that may occur if the
patient relapses while taking
psychiatric medications. For
example, a patient taking
neuroleptics who relapses to
stimulant medications is at risk
of hyperpyrexia.21
Table 4 lists
medications for use in patients
with dual diagnoses.
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TABLE 4
Medications
for Use in Dual
Diagnosis
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|
Category |
Drugs
and
dosages |
Considerations |
|
Selective
serotonin
reuptake
inhibitors |
Sertraline
(Zoloft),
25 to
200 mg
per day
Fluoxetine
(Prozac),
10 to 80
mg per
day
Paroxetine
(Paxil),
10 to 60
mg per
day
Citalopram
(Celexa),
20 to 60
mg per
day
Fluvoxamine
(Luvox),
50 to
300 mg
per day |
Selective
serotonin
reuptake
inhibitors
lower
the rate
of
alcohol
consumption
in
patients
with
depression
and may
help the
recovering
patient
maintain
sobriety. |
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Tricyclic
antidepressants |
Desipramine
(Norpramin),
100 to
300 mg
per day
Nortriptyline
(Pamelor),
30 to
150 mg
per day
Protriptyline
(Vivactil),
15 to 60
mg per
day |
Desipramine
may help
facilitate
abstinence
in
depressed
patients
addicted
to
cocaine. |
|
Other
antidepressants |
Venlafaxine
(Effexor),
75 to
375 mg
per day
Bupropion
(Wellbutrin),
200 to
400 mg
per day
Mirtazapine
(Remeron),
15 to 45
mg per
day
Trazodone
(Desyrel),
150 to
400 mg
per day |
Most of
these
antidepressants
have not
been
studied
extensively
in
recovering
patients. |
|
Anxiolytics |
Buspirone
(BuSpar),
15 to 60
mg per
day
Benzodiazepines |
All
benzodiazepines
should
be
avoided
in
recovering
patients.
If use
is
unavoidable,
clonazepam
(Klonopin)
has a
lower
risk of
abuse
because
of its
long
half-life. |
|
Antipsychotics |
Risperidone
(Risperdal),
2 to 16
mg per
day
Olanzapine
(Zyprexa),
5 to 20
mg per
day
Quetiapine
fumarate
(Seroquel),
50 to
800 mg
per day
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These
medications
have not
been
studied
extensively
in
recovering
patients;
because
they are
active
in the
central
nervous
system,
they
should
be
monitored
closely. |
|
Anticonvulsants |
Divalproex
sodium (Depakote),
500 to
1,000 mg
per day
Gabapentin
(Neurontin),
900 to
3,600 mg
per day
Carbamazepine
(Tegretol),
1,000 to
1,600 mg
per day |
Divalproex
and
carbamazepine
should
not be
used in
patients
with
liver
disease. |
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When dealing with more
complicated dual-diagnosis
patients, especially those for
whom bipolar disorder or
schizophrenia are in the
differential diagnosis, the
primary care physician should
consider appropriate
consultation with an addiction
psychiatrist. Consultation also
is recommended when mood
stabilizers, antipsychotics, or
potentially addictive
medications are being considered
for patients recovering from
addiction.
DEPRESSION
Up
to 80 percent of alcoholic
patients experience depressive
symptoms at some time in their
lives, and at least 30 percent
meet criteria for major
depression according to the
Diagnostic and
Statistical Manual of Mental
Disorders, 4th ed.23
The serotonergic pathway has
been implicated in the control
of alcohol intake,22
and selective serotonin reuptake
inhibitors (SSRIs) have been
found to decrease alcohol
consumption in addition to
managing depression.21
In depressed patients recovering
from cocaine addiction,
desipramine (Norpramin) may help
facilitate abstinence and
decrease depression.21
Although other antidepressants
have not been studied
extensively in persons
recovering from chemical
dependency, they are not
contraindicated. Because
tricyclic antidepressants have a
sedative effect, they should be
used with caution in this
population.22
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Patients with
dual diagnoses
of addiction
recovery and
psychiatric
illness require
aggressive
management of
both conditions.
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ANXIETY DISORDERS
Benzodiazepines and sedatives
often are prescribed for
patients with generalized
anxiety disorder,
obsessive-compulsive disorder,
phobias, and panic disorders.
These drugs are addictive and
should be avoided in patients
recovering from chemical
dependency.24
Medications such as SSRIs,
buspirone (BuSpar), beta
blockers, and anticonvulsants
may be better choices, depending
on the needs of individual
patients.24 If there
are no other alternatives, the
benzodiazepine clonazepam
(Klonopin) may be considered
because of its long half-life.24
Kava, a natural sedative that is
extracted from the pepper plant,
has sedation effects similar to
those of alcohol. Therefore,
pending further research, kava
is not recommended for
recovering patients.16
POST-TRAUMATIC STRESS DISORDER
Post-traumatic stress disorder
is prevalent in patients with
chemical dependency. Emotional
trauma associated with sexual,
physical, or mental abuse can be
masked by chemical use. With
abstinence, memories,
nightmares, and severe emotional
symptoms may reappear and become
disabling.21
Education focused on recovery
and development of coping skills
through psychotherapy and
gender-specific support groups
can help.
Specific pharmacotherapy with
SSRIs, clonidine (Catapres-TTS),
and anticonvulsants can be
useful for patients with
post-traumatic stress disorder.21
Antipsychotics such as
risperidone (Risperdal),
olanzapine (Zyprexa), and
quetiapine fumarate (Seroquel)
also can provide some immediate
relief without the risk of
addiction that accompanies use
of sedatives.25
Referral to a psychiatrist who
specializes in addiction should
be considered when
pharmacotherapy other than SSRIs
is necessary.
INSOMNIA
Acute and postacute drug
withdrawal can affect sleep in
recovering addicts. Patients may
have problems initiating sleep,
staying asleep, or both.
Treatment of patients with
insomnia should include
avoidance of stimulants,
development of appropriate sleep
hygiene, and use of relaxation
techniques.
When pharmacotherapy is
necessary, sedating
antidepressants such as
trazodone (Desyrel) or
mirtazapine (Remeron) may be
used judiciously.26
Diphenhydramine (Benadryl)
alters judgment and should be
avoided.14
Nonbenzodiazepine-schedule
intravenous hypnotics, including
zolpidem tartrate (Ambien) and
zaleplon (Sonata), are indicated
for the short-term treatment of
insomnia in the general
population. Because they depress
the central nervous system and
have the potential for abuse,
however, these drugs should be
avoided in patients recovering
from chemical dependency.26
Pain Management in the Patient
Recovering from Chemical
Dependency
Pain management in the
recovering addict is
challenging. Most physicians
generally avoid prescribing
narcotics, but unrelieved acute
and chronic pain also may lead
to relapse.27,28 Open
physicianpatient communication
regarding the level of pain the
patient is experiencing and the
occurrence of drug cravings can
decrease the risk of relapse.29
The patient should be encouraged
to increase contact with support
systems, sponsors, and
nonaddicted friends and family
members. The patient must be
assured that his or her pain
will not be ignored and that
therapy will be modified as
needed. Tables 5
and 6 list resources for
physicians, patients, and
families who are dealing with
chemical dependency.
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TABLE 5
Resources on
Chemical
Dependency for
Health Care
Professionals
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|
Addiction
Resource Guide
(http://www.addictionresourceguide.com/)--a
comprehensive
online treatment
facility
directory
AlcoholMD
(http://www.alcoholmd.com)--provides
information,
education, and
online services
on health and
alcohol for the
general public,
patients and
their families,
the recovery
community,
children, and
health care
professionals
American Society
of Addiction
Medicine
(http://www.asam.org/)--mission
includes
educating
physicians,
medical and
osteopathic
students, and
the public
Journal of
Psychoactive
Drugs
(http://www.hafci.org/journal)--a
quarterly
periodical with
multidisciplinary
information
regarding the
use and abuse of
psychoactive
drugs
National
Institute on
Drug Abuse
(http://www.drugabuse.gov/)--has
information for
students, young
adults, parents,
teachers,
researchers, and
health
professionals
Physician
Leadership on
National Drug
Policy
(http://plndp.org/)--a
physician group
committed to
multidisciplinary
and
collaborative
approaches to
reduce the
harmful use of
illegal drugs
Substance Abuse
and Mental
Health Services
Administration
(http://www.samhsa.gov/)--the
federal agency
charged with
improving
prevention,
treatment, and
rehabilitative
services for
substance abuse
and mental
illnesses |
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Treatment must include regular
reassessment of the patient's
level of pain and adjustment of
strategies to prevent or relieve
it. Whenever possible,
nonpharmacologic pain management
should be used alone or as
adjunctive therapy. Heat, ice,
rest, and elevation are the
first line of therapy for pain.
If symptoms are not relieved,
physical therapy that includes
ultrasonography, massage, and
iontophoresis should be
considered. Nontraditional
therapies such as acupuncture,
biofeedback, and relaxation
training may be used alone or in
combination whenever
appropriate.30
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Recovering
addicts may
require higher
dosages of
analgesics for
pain relief
because of
cross-tolerance.
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When pharmacologic therapy is
necessary to manage pain, one
physician should be responsible
for prescribing all pain
medications to avoid confusion
and exploitation. Nonaddicting
medications such as
acetaminophen, aspirin, and
nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory
drugs can provide pain relief.
Patients with migraine may
benefit from the triptan
medications, which are not
contraindicated in patients
recovering from chemical
dependency.14 A
combination of acetaminophen,
dichloralphenazone, and
isometheptene mucate (Midrin)
often is prescribed for
headaches, but should be avoided
in these patients because
isometheptene mucate is a
sympathomimetic and
dichloralphenazone is a
sedative.19(pp3366)
If
opiates are necessary for the
management of chronic pain in
recovering addicts, frequent
office visits should be
required. Safeguards, including
a signed treatment contract for
pain management, can lower the
risk of relapse.31
Physicians should prescribe
opiates in limited quantities
(i.e., a supply sufficient to
last only until the next
appointment if the patient is
taking the medication according
to directions). Early refills
should not be provided under any
circumstances. Physicians may
need to educate patients who are
fearful of opiate use about the
relapse risk associated with
untreated pain. A physician who
is considering the use of
opiates for the management of
chronic pain in a patient
recovering from chemical
dependency should collaborate
with physicians who specialize
in addiction medicine and pain
management.
When treating acute pain in
patients recovering from
chemical dependency, the
physician must consider the
phenomena of cross-tolerance and
cross-addiction. Research has
shown that a given drug can
affect several different
neurotransmitters, leading to
different effects.32
Cross-addiction allows an
addicted person to substitute
one class of drug for another
because of a common
neurochemical pathway.32
Therefore, physicians can
substitute benzodiazepines for
alcohol in a controlled
environment to treat acute
withdrawal, and patients
addicted to heroin can be
treated with methadone (Dolophine).
Cross-tolerance occurs when a
patient develops tolerance to a
medication to which he or she
has not been exposed because of
tolerance developed to another
chemical substance. With regard
to pain management, recovering
addicts may be cross-tolerant
and require higher dosages of
pain medication than nonaddicted
patients to achieve the same
level of pain relief. The
physician should remember that
the correct dosage is the one
that relieves the pain with the
fewest side effects,27
and that as a disease
progresses, dosage escalation
may be necessary.29
Patients on methadone
maintenance for opiate
dependency require the addition
of short-acting opiates to their
regular dosage of methadone for
episodes of severe acute pain.14
Physicians may consider giving
the narcotic prescription to a
trusted support person who will
dispense the medication to the
patient as directed. This may
help to relieve anxiety about
possible relapse.
Having patients keep a pain and
medication diary is helpful and
more reliable than recall during
office visits. When pain
treatment is expected to be
lengthy or chronic, use of a
long-acting opiate produces less
euphoria and has a better steady
state level.30
Members of various family
practice departments develop
articles for "Practical
Therapeutics." This article is
one in a series coordinated by
the Department of Family
Medicine at Ohio State
University College of Medicine
and Public Health, Columbus.
Guest editor of the series is
Doug Knutson, M.D.
The authors indicate that they
do not have any conflicts of
interest. Sources of funding:
none reported.
The Authors
EDNA MARIE JONES, M.D., is a
clinical assistant professor in
the Department of Family
Medicine, Ohio State University
College of Medicine and Public
Health, Columbus, medical
director for Parkside Behavioral
Healthcare, Gahanna, Ohio, and
consultant to Amethyst, Inc., on
dual diagnosis. She received her
medical degree from Ohio State
University College of Medicine,
and served a residency in family
medicine at Riverside Methodist
Hospital, Columbus, Ohio. Dr.
Jones is certified in addiction
medicine by the American Society
of Addiction Medicine.
DOUG KNUTSON, M.D., is an
assistant professor in the
Department of Family Medicine,
Ohio State University College of
Medicine and Public Health. He
received his medical degree from
Ohio State University College of
Medicine and completed a
residency in family medicine at
Riverside Methodist Hospital.
DANELL HAINES, PH.D., is a
research scientist in the
Department of Family Medicine,
Ohio State University College of
Medicine and Public Health,
where she received her doctorate
degree.
Address correspondence to Edna
Marie Jones, M.D., 4653 Smothers
Rd., Westerville, OH 43081
(e-mail:
ejones@columbus.rr.com).
Reprints are not available from
the authors.
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