Abstract

Chronic cancer and nonmalignant pain (CNMP) is a common and major health problem afflicting approximately 40 million persons in the US. Most cancer patients, and many patients with CNMP, require opioid analgesics to obtain adequate pain relief. Oral oxymorphone is a new formulation of an existing parenteral opioid that has become available for the treatment of significant pain: acute postoperative, chronic arthritis, chronic low back, and chronic cancer pain. Oxymorphone is a typical mu-opioid agonist that is effective in both immediate- and extended-release (IR and ER) formulations. Oxymorphone is more lipid soluble than morphine, resulting in a rapid onset of action when given in tablet formulation, with a duration of action of approximately 4-6 hours in IR and 12 hours in ER preparations. Oxymorphone provides excellent pain relief for significant pain, with typical opioid side effects that are usually mild or moderate in intensity. Multiple double-blind, prospective, placebo-controlled clinical trials have demonstrated the clinical efficacy and safety of this new oral opioid preparation. Oral oxymorphone is an effective opioid that provides a new therapeutic option for the physician.

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

9-1-2008

Notes/Citation Information

Published in Therapeutics and Clinical Risk Management, v. 4, issue. 4, 777-787.

This work is published by Dove Medical Press Limited, and licensed under Creative Commons Attribution - Non Commercial (unported, v3.0) License. The full terms of the License are available at http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/3.0/. Non-commercial uses of the work are permitted without any further permission from Dove Medical Press Limited, provided the work is properly attributed. Permissions beyond the scope of the License are administered by Dove Medical Press Limited. Information on how to request permission may be found at: http://www.dovepress.com/permissions.php

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

http://dx.doi.org/10.2147/TCRM.S1784

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