July 2019

The transdermal fentanyl patch is more often prescribed for baseline pain rather than breakthrough pain. Why? The fentanyl transdermal patch has a slow onset and long duration of action. Therapeutic…

How is fentanyl metabolized? Fentanyl is metabolized via the cytochrome P450 (CYP) 3A4 system. Extreme caution must be taken when administering fentanyl, if the patient is on other medications that…

What cautionary measures should be taken when prescribing fentanyl for breakthrough pain? Patients who are not opioid tolerant are at risk for developing severe hypoventilation, when given fentanyl for breakthrough…

How prevalent is breakthrough pain in patients with cancer? Breakthrough pain occurs in 33-65% of patients with chronic cancer pain. See Answer See Answer

Do cannabinoids impact antiretroviral therapy-related nausea? Cannabinoids, such as dronabinol as well as non-pharmaceutical preparations, are commonly used by HIV and AIDS patients in an attempt to counter nausea caused…

What is the "gold standard" tapering schedule for a patient who has been on long-term opioid therapy? There is no "gold standard" opioid tapering schedule. The tapering schedule should be…

Is cannabinoid-based therapy likely to differentially affect Huntington's disease (HD) patients compared to other patient populations? The effect of cannabinoids on HD patients may be unique compared to other populations,…

Is the endocannabinoid system involved in human epilepsy? Yes. There are defects in the endocannabinoid system in persons with epilepsy. In one study, 12 patients with newly diagnosed temporal lobe…

Do clinical studies suggest that cannabis-based medicine can alleviate cancer pain? In animal models, cannabinoids have been shown to be synergistic with opioids in reducing pain. A small pharmacokinetic interaction…

Have any cannabinoid medicines been withdrawn from the market because of an increased risk of suicide? Rimonabant, a cannabinoid medicine that selectively blocks CB1 receptors, was approved in the European…