Opioid-Related Sleep-Disordered Breathing: An Update for Clinicians

Opioids are an effective treatment for patients with intractable pain. Long-term administration of opioids for pain relief is being delivered by an increasing number of medical providers in the United States including primary care physicians and nonspecialists. One common complication of chronic opi...

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Bibliographic Details
Published inAmerican journal of hospice & palliative medicine p. 1049909120913232
Main Authors Jehangir, Waqas, Karabachev, Alexander D, Mehta, Zankhana, Davis, Mellar
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published United States 01.11.2020
Subjects
sleep
obstructive sleep apneas
apneas
opioid-related disorders
sleep-disordered breathing
opioids
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Summary:Opioids are an effective treatment for patients with intractable pain. Long-term administration of opioids for pain relief is being delivered by an increasing number of medical providers in the United States including primary care physicians and nonspecialists. One common complication of chronic opioid use is sleep-disordered breathing which can result in various morbidities as well as an increase in all-cause mortality. It is important for providers to understand the relationship between opioids and sleep-disordered breathing as well as methods to improve diagnosis and strategies for treatment. This review aims to update clinicians on the mechanism, diagnosis, and treatment of opioid-related sleep-disordered breathing in order to improve the quality of care for patients with chronic pain.
ISSN:1938-2715
DOI:10.1177/1049909120913232