Disclaimer

Oxford University Press makes no representation, express or implied, that the drug dosages in this book are correct. Readers must therefore always check the product information and clinical procedures with the most up to date published product information and data sheets provided by the manufacturers and the most recent codes of conduct and safety regulations. The authors and the publishers do not accept responsibility or legal liability for any errors in the text or for the misuse or misapplication of material in this work. Except where otherwise stated, drug dosages and recommendations are for the non-pregnant adult who is not breastfeeding.

Show Summary Details
Page of

Non-opioid analgesics 

Non-opioid analgesics
Chapter:
Non-opioid analgesics
Author(s):

Andrew Davies

DOI:
10.1093/med/9780198840480.003.0008
Page of

PRINTED FROM OXFORD MEDICINE ONLINE (www.oxfordmedicine.com). © Oxford University Press, 2016. All Rights Reserved. Under the terms of the licence agreement, an individual user may print out a PDF of a single chapter of a title in Oxford Medicine Online for personal use (for details see Privacy Policy and Legal Notice).

date: 19 October 2019

Breakthrough pain is a heterogeneous condition. Non-opioid analgesics are a diverse group of drugs. Non-opioid analgesics may have a role in the management of breakthrough pain. Data on the use of most non-opioid analgesics is limited. Paracetamol and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs are generally used as around-the-clock medication, although they may also be used as rescue medication. Systematic reviews of oral NSAIDs have confirmed benefits in cancer pain. Midazolam has been used in the treatment of refractory incident pain secondary to bone metastases and there is the potential for its use in the management of breakthrough pain secondary to muscle spasm. Ketamine is employed in anaesthetic doses in the management of procedural pain and in the management of predominantly non-malignant breakthrough pain. There is conflicting evidence for the use of nitrous oxide in the management of breakthrough pain.

Access to the complete content on Oxford Medicine Online requires a subscription or purchase. Public users are able to search the site and view the abstracts for each book and chapter without a subscription.

Please subscribe or login to access full text content.

If you have purchased a print title that contains an access token, please see the token for information about how to register your code.

For questions on access or troubleshooting, please check our FAQs, and if you can't find the answer there, please contact us.