Sublingual methadone for the management of cancer-related breakthrough pain: a pilot study.
- Authors
- Type
- Published Article
- Journal
- Journal of palliative medicine
- Publication Date
- Apr 01, 2007
- Volume
- 10
- Issue
- 2
- Pages
- 331–337
- Identifiers
- PMID: 17472503
- Source
- Medline
- License
- Unknown
Abstract
This model of assessment of breakthrough pain, whereby each episode of pain is treated as a separate data set and multiple discrete episodes of breakthrough pain are assessed every 5 minutes in each patient, appears to be feasible within the cancer pain population. Preliminary results suggest a very rapid onset of relief of breakthrough pain with sublingual methadone when administered at the optimal dose, consistent with a highly favorable early pharmacodynamic profile of methadone administered via this route. Further study is warranted.