Sammanfattning
The challenge of managing acute pain in opioid-addicted patients is a question of fully understanding the pharmacological effects of the illegal drugs and to prevent overdosing or withdrawal symptoms. It requires a thorough knowledge of the patient’s daily consumption of legal and illegal drugs and an understanding obtained through an accepting and empathetic communication with the patient. Substitution management aims to prevent opioid withdrawal symptoms and is not a means of managing pain. When planning the pain management the patient must receive at least 25% of the daily methadone dose, recalculated into equipotent substitute morphine.