The Adverse Effects of Opioids

Chemical substance that has morphine-like action in the body is an opioid. Its main use is for pain relief. These agents work by binding to opioid receptors, which are found principally in the central nervous system and gastrointestinal tract. The receptors in these organ systems mediate both the beneficial effects and the undesirable side effects. The four classes to narcotics are:

Endogenous peptides-these are produced naturally in the body 
Opiates-these are produced by morphine 
Semi-synthetic opioids-hydromorphone & oxycodone 
Fully-synthetic opioids-produced byb fentanyl and methadone 
 

There are common adverse reactions by patients that take opioids for their pain relief they are nausea, drowsiness, vomiting, consitipation, and having a dry mouth. Adverse reactions in patients that take opioids that infrequently happen and are usually dose-related are respiratory depression, confusion, hallucinations, delirium, hypothermia, bradycardia (low heartrate), tachycardia (fast heartrate), dizziness, headache, urinary retention, and muscle rigidity. Some patients can experience hyperalgesia, this is when a patient that is using opiods as pain relief has pain as a result of their medication. 


Bith uses therapeutic and chronic of opioids may compromise the function of an immune system. Other concerns about opioids are tolerance, dependence, addiction, and abuse. These issues cause doctors and patients many concerns and are the most common reason for inadequate use of analgesia in patients with chronic pain. Putting these issues into the context of analgesia is important. 


Tolerance is the tendency of the body to adapt to the presence of opioids and is a common reaction to any chemical, including caffeine. Dependence is the tendency of the body to mainifest a characteristic and unpleasant withdrawal syndrome if regular doses of opioids are abruptly discontinued after tolerance has developed. Addiction is a psychological craving for certain effects of opioids, such as euphoria, that many people experience when the drugs are taken in large doses. And abuse is the misuse of opioids in the context of addiction.