Opioid use in the management of chronic pain

Medical standards with respect to the use of opioids for treatment of pain are changing rapidly. Primary care physicians may be confronted with patients who have complex chronic pain problems and are either using opioids for pain control, or are considering their use. Decision making regarding what constitutes optimum pain management for each patient is often difficult. This paper considers clinical issues related to the use of opioids for the treatment of pain which are relevant in weighing the potential risks and benefits of opioid therapy for individual patients. And it offers approaches to treatment planning and practical suggestions for the clinical management of patients using opioids as a component of chronic pain treatment.