Frequency of Concomitant Use of Opioids and Psychoactive Medications Among Cancer Patients Referred to Outpatient Palliative Care

Abstract

Patients with cancer suffer from multiple complex symptoms.1 These patients are often on multiple medications (polypharmacy) including opioids.2 These combinations may be necessary for adequate control of symptoms. However, there are potentially severe effects when patients taking opioids receive other psychoactive medications, such as benzodiazepines and other central nervous system (CNS) depressants, increasing the risk of emergency room visits or inpatient admissions 3 due to severe sedation or respiratory depression.