rss
Thorax 2004;59:7 doi:10.1136/thx.2003.la66
  • Miscellaneous

The use of opioids for palliative care in refractory dyspnoea

  1. G P Currie
  1. Specialist Registrar in Respiratory Medicine, Chest Clinic C, Foresterhill, Aberdeen Royal Infirmary, Aberdeen, UK; graeme_currie@yahoo.com

    ▴ Abernethy AP, Currow DC, Frith P, et al. Randomised, double blind, placebo controlled crossover trial of sustained releases morphine for the management of refractory dyspnoea. BMJ2003;327:523–6

    Dyspnoea is a disabling and distressing problem for many patients and carers. Clinicians are often reluctant to prescribe opioids for such patients because of concerns of adverse effects—particularly respiratory depression and sedation—and paucity of evidence of clinical benefit.

    Abernethy and colleagues conducted a small (n = 48) double blind, placebo controlled, crossover study. Patients, most …

    [Full text of this article]

    This Article

    1. Extract
    2. Full text
    3. PDF

    Social bookmarking

    Register for free content


    Free sample
     This recent issue is free to all users to allow everyone the opportunity to see the full scope and typical content of Thorax.
    View free sample issue >>

    Free archive
    The full back archive is now available for Thorax. Institutional subscribers may access the entire archive as part of their subscription. Personal subscribers will also have access to all content when logged in. Non-subscribers who register have free access to all articles published before 2006, back to volume 1 issue 1.
    Register to access the free archive >>

    Don't forget to sign up for content alerts so you keep up to date with all the articles as they are published.