Other adverse effects Opioid

1 other adverse effects

1.1 hormone imbalance
1.2 disruption of work
1.3 increased accident-proneness
1.4 rare side effects

other adverse effects
hormone imbalance

clinical studies have consistently associated medical , recreational opioid use hypogonadism , hormone imbalance in different sexes. effect dose-dependent. studies suggest majority (perhaps as 90%) of chronic opioid users suffer hormone imbalances. opioids can interfere menstruation in women limiting production of luteinizing hormone (lh). opioid-induced endocrinopathy causes strong association of opioid use osteoporosis , bone fracture. may increase pain , thereby interfere intended clinical effect of opioid treatment. opioid-induced endocrinopathy caused agonism of opioid receptors in hypothalamus , pituitary gland. 1 study found depressed testosterone levels of heroin addicts returned normal within 1 month of abstinence, suggesting effect not permanent. of 2013, effect of low-dose or acute opiate use on endocrine system unclear.

disruption of work

use of opioids may risk factor failing return work.

persons performing safety-sensitive task should not use opioids. health care providers should not recommend workers drive or use heavy equipment including cranes or forklifts treat chronic or acute pain opioids. workplaces manage workers perform safety-sensitive operations should assign workers less sensitive duties long workers treated physician opioids.

people take opioids long term have increased likelihood of being unemployed. taking opioids may further disrupt patient s life , adverse effects of opioids can become significant barrier patients having active life, gaining employment, , sustaining career.

in addition, lack of employment may predictor of aberrant use of prescription opioids.

increased accident-proneness

opioid use may increase accident-proneness. opioids may increase risk of traffic accidents , accidental falls.

rare side effects

infrequent adverse reactions in patients taking opioids pain relief include: dose-related respiratory depression (especially more potent opioids), confusion, hallucinations, delirium, urticaria, hypothermia, bradycardia/tachycardia, orthostatic hypotension, dizziness, headache, urinary retention, ureteric or biliary spasm, muscle rigidity, myoclonus (with high doses), , flushing (due histamine release, except fentanyl , remifentanil).

both therapeutic , chronic use of opioids can compromise function of immune system. opioids decrease proliferation of macrophage progenitor cells , lymphocytes, , affect cell differentiation (roy & loh, 1996). opioids may inhibit leukocyte migration. relevance of in context of pain relief not known.