Statements in which the resource exists as a subject.
PredicateObject
rdf:type
lifeskim:mentions
pubmed:issue
5
pubmed:dateCreated
1995-10-13
pubmed:abstractText
Methadone is a synthetic opioid with excellent oral bioavailability, variable, but long duration of action and extremely low cost. Our group has found that methadone is well tolerated in patients with difficult pain syndromes who are receiving high dose opioids. However, because of high interpersonal variation in bioavailability and the long duration of action of this drug, treatments should be highly personalized. We report on a 61 year old cancer patient who was switched from 84 mg/day of subcutaneous hydromorphone to 90 mg/day of oral methadone. On this dose, she developed respiratory depression and non-cardiogenic pulmonary edema that responded to subcutaneous naloxone and methadone discontinuation. Our findings suggest that standard equalanalgesic tables are unreliable for methadone titration. Switchovers should take place slowly and in a personalized fashion.
pubmed:language
eng
pubmed:journal
pubmed:citationSubset
IM
pubmed:chemical
pubmed:status
MEDLINE
pubmed:month
Jul
pubmed:issn
0885-3924
pubmed:author
pubmed:issnType
Print
pubmed:volume
10
pubmed:owner
NLM
pubmed:authorsComplete
Y
pubmed:pagination
401-4
pubmed:dateRevised
2006-8-15
pubmed:meshHeading
pubmed:year
1995
pubmed:articleTitle
Respiratory depression in a patient receiving oral methadone for cancer pain.
pubmed:affiliation
Palliative Care Program, Edmonton General Hospital, Canada.
pubmed:publicationType
Journal Article, Case Reports