The feasibility of using intravenous fentanyl as sublingual drops in the treatment of incidental pain in patients with cancer.

摘要

Dear Editor:Breakthrough pain has been defined as a transitory flare of pain superimposed on an otherwise stable pain pattern in opioid-treated patients, and more broadly as any acute transient pain that flares up off the baseline. It is abrupt in onset, intense and transient ranging from a moderate to a severe pain, of short duration that can affect the patients well-being and functional status and is usually associated with a worse psychological outcome and a worse response to regular opi-oids. More than half of patients with cancer still suffer from poorly controlled breakthrough pain. The ideal medication for breakthrough pain should have a rapid onset and short duration of action, with no active metabolites left behind to minimize the side effects. It should be readily available and in an accessible form for patient and family to use.