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Intern Med J.
2015 Sep;45(9):898-904. doi: 10.1111/imj.12857.
Management of refractory breathlessness with morphine in
patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
Smallwood N
1
,
Le B
2
,
Currow D
3
,
Irving L
1
,
Philip J
4
.
1
Department of Respiratory and Sleep Medicine, ²Palliative Care, The Royal Melbourne Hospital, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
3
Palliative and Supportive Services, Division of Medicine, Flinders University, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia.
4
Centre for Palliative Care, St Vincent's Hospital, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
-
Breathlessness
is common in advanced COPD and
remains undertreated
.
-As all reversible causes of breatlessness are being optimally managed,
low dose
morphine can reduce safely & effectively breathlessness
in patients with
severe COPD and refractory dyspnoea.
-Despite numerous guidelines recommending opioids in this clinical setting,
many barriers limit their uptake by clinicians
.
-
Integration of palliative care earlier in the disease course
can help to
improve symptom control for people with severe COPD and refractory
breathlessness.
Cancer