[The problem of opioid tolerance and dependence during clinical use thereof]

Abstract

Presents a clinician's viewpoint on the tolerance of and dependence on opiates and opioids in total anesthesia and management of acute (postoperative) and chronic (cancer) pain. Clinical observations are assessed with due consideration for the theoretical (pharmacological) studies. The author analyzes prolonged therapy with different opiates and opioids and the short-term use in massive doses at different stages of surgery. Tolerance to morphine rapidly forms during therapy of chronic pain, and the narcotic doses have to be progressively increased. Tolerance to opioids, such as tramal and buprenorphine, is less expressed. These agents are less hazardous as regards drug dependence, which was proven for tramal by the naloxone test. Clinical manifestations of physical dependence on opiates at different stages of surgical treatment are discussed for the first time. The main last-generation opiates are characterized (tramal, buprenorphine, nalbufin, butorphanol, prosidol) by their capacity to cause physical and mental dependence. The author emphasizes the importance of a proper selection of opiates, opioids, and combinations thereof with the optimal nonopiate components in general anesthesia, postoperative analgesia, and treatment of chronic pain in order to improve the efficacy and narcological safety of analgesia.