OPIOID INDUCED CONSTIPATION

Course overview

OPIOID-INDUCED CONSTIPATION (OIC) ACCOUNTS FOR BETWEEN 40 AND SIXTY PERCENT OF PATIENTS WITHOUT CANCER RECEIVING OPIOIDS. LAXATIVES MUST BE STARTED AT THE SAME TIME AS THE OPIOID TO PREVENT OIC. ONCE THE DISORDER IS ESTABLISHED, TREATMENT INVOLVES BOTH PHARMACOLOGICAL AND NONPHARMACOLOGICAL THERAPIES. OIC MAY PRESENT IMMEDIATELY WHEN A PATIENT TAKES THE OPIOID, OR IT MAY PRESENT GRADUALLY DURING OPIOID THERAPY. IN ASSOCIATION WITH CONSTIPATION, PATIENTS MAY ALSO DEVELOP OTHER GI SIDE EFFECTS LIKE NAUSEA, VOMITING, BLOAT, ABDOMINAL PAIN, AND STRAINING. THIS ACTIVITY REVIEWS THE EVALUATION AND MANAGEMENT OF OPIOID INDUCED CONSTIPATION AND EXPLAINS THE ROLE OF THE INTERPROFESSIONAL TEAM IN IMPROVING CARE FOR PATIENTS WITH THIS CONDITION.