This Article Full Text (PDF) References Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Alert me to new issues of the journal Add to Saved Citations Download to citation manager Request Permissions Request Reprints Add to My Marked Citations Citing Articles Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Koo, P. J. S. Search for Related Content Social Bookmarking                   What's this?

Acute Pain Management

Departments of Clinical Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Services, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California

Acute pain management is improving steadily over the past few years, but training and professional education are still lacking in many professions. Untreated or undertreated acute pain could have detrimental effects on the patient in terms of comfort and recovery from trauma or surgery. Acute undertreated pain can decrease a patient's vascular perfusion, increase oxygen demand, suppress the immune system, and possibly risk increased incidence of venous thrombosis. Although acute postoperative pain needs to be managed aggressively, patients are most vulnerable during this period for developing adverse effects, and therefore, patient assessment and careful drug therapy evaluation are necessary processes in therapeutic planning. Acute pain management requires careful and thorough initial assessment and follow-up reassessment in addition to frequent dosage adjustments, and managing analgesic induced side effects. Analgesic selection and dosing must be based on the patient's past and recent analgesic exposure. There is no single acute pain management regimen that is suitable for all patients. Analgesics must be tailored to the individual patient.

Key Words: Acute pain • pain assessment • individualized analgesic regimen • managing analgesic side effects • analgesic selection • combination therapy • opioid analgesics • nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medications • non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) • non-opioid analgesics.

CiteULike    Connotea    Del.icio.us    Digg    Reddit    Technorati    What's this?