login
Become a member
Quick Registration
Full Registration Benefits -
Free Homepages for Doctors
Free Homepages for Hospitals
Free Homepages for Medical Conference
Free Homepages for NGO's
Personal Health Record Creation
Access to all Medical Slides
Access to all Jobs & Products Sale
Opioid Pain Relievers Linked to Sexual Issues
Researchers have revealed that using opioid pain relievers for more than a month may cause hormonal imbalance and lead to sexual dysfunction.
A paper for Pain Treatment Topics, titled "Opioid-Induced Sexual Dysfunction: Causes, Diagnosis, and Treatment," by Stephen Colameco, MD, MEd, has discussed the causes, diagnosis, and treatment of this problem.
According to the paper, a good body of evidence has suggested that long-acting opioids used on a daily basis for more than a month can reduce hormonal function in both men and women. And not only sexual dysfunction, symptoms can also include weight gain, fatigue, depression, osteoporosis, and irregular menstrual cycles.
However, the treatment for such problems is possible, if they are properly diagnosed, but different approaches are needed in males and females.
In fact, Colameco has provided a number of recommendations, and first of these suggestions is that prior to the initiation of therapy, prescribers should inform patients that hormonal disturbances are common with higher dose, long-term opioid treatment.
After treatment is started, patients should be routinely evaluated for signs and symptoms of hormone deficiency, including sexual dysfunction. Also, if hormonal deficiency is suspected, appropriate laboratory testing should be ordered.
Often, an important treatment in men is testosterone supplementation. Topical, buccal, or transdermal formulations are preferred over intramuscular injections. However, in women, testosterone treatment is controversial and supplementation with DHEA/DHEAS may be preferred due to its ability to raise hormone levels without significant side effects. On the other hand, rotation from one opioid medication to another may prove to be effective.
Overall, opioid treatment is aimed at reducing patients’ pain, and to improve physical and social functioning. Opioid-induced hormonal deficiencies and associated sexual dysfunctions are common and often overlooked consequences of opioid therapy.
Source-ANI
RAS/L
A paper for Pain Treatment Topics, titled "Opioid-Induced Sexual Dysfunction: Causes, Diagnosis, and Treatment," by Stephen Colameco, MD, MEd, has discussed the causes, diagnosis, and treatment of this problem.
According to the paper, a good body of evidence has suggested that long-acting opioids used on a daily basis for more than a month can reduce hormonal function in both men and women. And not only sexual dysfunction, symptoms can also include weight gain, fatigue, depression, osteoporosis, and irregular menstrual cycles.
However, the treatment for such problems is possible, if they are properly diagnosed, but different approaches are needed in males and females.
In fact, Colameco has provided a number of recommendations, and first of these suggestions is that prior to the initiation of therapy, prescribers should inform patients that hormonal disturbances are common with higher dose, long-term opioid treatment.
After treatment is started, patients should be routinely evaluated for signs and symptoms of hormone deficiency, including sexual dysfunction. Also, if hormonal deficiency is suspected, appropriate laboratory testing should be ordered.
Often, an important treatment in men is testosterone supplementation. Topical, buccal, or transdermal formulations are preferred over intramuscular injections. However, in women, testosterone treatment is controversial and supplementation with DHEA/DHEAS may be preferred due to its ability to raise hormone levels without significant side effects. On the other hand, rotation from one opioid medication to another may prove to be effective.
Overall, opioid treatment is aimed at reducing patients’ pain, and to improve physical and social functioning. Opioid-induced hormonal deficiencies and associated sexual dysfunctions are common and often overlooked consequences of opioid therapy.
Source-ANI
RAS/L
|
|
 Comment & Contribute
|
Medwonders Health Network
- Health News Index
- News Quick Links
| News Categories: |
| » | Schizophrenia Drug Differentiates Cancer Stem Cells into Less Threatening Cells |
| » | Docs Who Seldom Meet Drug Reps Continue to Prescribe Drugs With FDA “Black Box” Warnings |
| » | Revision in Quality Standards for Heparin |
| » | Acne Drug Users At High Risk of Developing Eye Infections |
| » | Patients Who Take Antidepressants When in ICU More Likely to Die |
| More Drug News | |
|
