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Opioids in Palliative Care

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Abstract

Palliative care is an essential part of the right to health of all human beings. This medical specialty aims to improve the quality of life of patients with chronic or life-threatening conditions, their families, and caregivers. This chapter presents some conditions that benefit from palliative care and the role of opioids as pain killers and agents used to alleviate symptoms in patients with cystic fibrosis, end-of-life breathlessness, cardiovascular diseases, sickle cell disease, chronic kidney disease, and advanced chronic liver disease. It also mentions specific opioids that can be used or avoided in patients with impaired kidney or liver function, reviews opioid use for pain management in children in palliative care and at the end of life, and provides references to main opioid prescribing guidelines.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Opioids Working Group, Global Studies Seminar, Faculty of Medicine, National University Autonomous of Mexico (UNAM), Mexico City, Mexico

    Nayely V. Salazar-Trujillo

  2. Hospital Ángeles Lomas, Huixquilucan, Mexico

    Rocío Torres-Méndez

  3. Internal Medicine Physician, Private Practice, Mexico City, Mexico

    Juan C. Molina-Covarrubias

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  1. Nayely V. Salazar-Trujillo
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  2. Rocío Torres-Méndez
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  3. Juan C. Molina-Covarrubias
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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Pharmacobiology, Cinvestav, Mexico City, Mexico

    Silvia L. Cruz

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Salazar-Trujillo, N.V., Torres-Méndez, R., Molina-Covarrubias, J.C. (2022). Opioids in Palliative Care. In: Cruz, S.L. (eds) Opioids. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-09936-6_11

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