Abstract
BACKGROUND: Low-dose naltrexone (LDN) is an increasingly popular medication to enhance analgesia and decrease opioid reliance in patients with chronic pain. CASE REPORT: We present the case of a 66-year-old man on long-term opioids for chronic pain who was initiated on 1 mg of LDN for enhanced analgesia and subsequently went into severe precipitated opioid withdrawal (POW), a reaction understood to be rare at such low doses. CONCLUSION: LDN has been introduced into pain medicine as a safe and effective adjunct for the treatment of chronic pain conditions in both opioid-naive patients and those on concomitant opioid therapy. While this is generally considered a safe practice, LDN initiation can cause acute precipitated withdrawal in certain individuals already on opioids, even at low doses previously thought to be free from this risk. We recommend pain providers consider this effect and be prepared to manage POW when prescribing LDN. KEY WORDS: Low-dose naltrexone, LDN, chronic pain, precipitated opioid withdrawal, case report
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
