Opiates and chronic pain management in the older patient

Introduction A hypothesis Evaluation of the hypothesis Consequences Conclusion References       Introduction Opiates are among the most powerful analgesic agents. The prescribing of buprenorphine, codeine, morphine, fentanyl, and in particular of tramadol, has increased exponentially since the mid 1990’s.1,2 The growth of the use of tramadol has been particularly remarkable since its introduction in 1994, perhaps also because of its lower propensity to cause unpleasant side effects such as nausea and vomiting. It has long been known that opiates are potentially addictive thereby limiting their medical use, making them susceptible to abuse and adding to the global drug