Management of Opioid-Induced Constipation in Patients with Malignancy

Children and adults with malignancies often require opioids for pain, which commonly cause constipation. The resulting effect on quality of life can be significant.1 As no drugs have been approved for patients with malignancies and opioid-induced constipation, several drugs approved for opioid-induced constipation in non-cancer pain (including opioid antagonists such as prolonged-release naloxone combined with oxycodone, methylnaltrexone, naloxegol, naldemedine, or alvimopan) are chosen when laxatives fail.
Source: The American Journal of Medicine - Category: General Medicine Authors: Tags: Concise Advice for Clinicians Source Type: research