preservative free morphine

Home Health Columnist / Guide · Feb 10, 2002

Katrika-found this info doing oggle search. Check out the articles, very informative

Nebulised drugs in palliative care

Some, but not all, clinicians use preservative-free opioid preservative-free opioid preparations in an attempt to reduce the risk of bronchospasm. If morphine is employed then the intravenous formulation should be used and not the oral elixir.

Includes drug delivery chart

http://www.brit-thoracic.org.uk/pdf/NebulisersPalliative.pdf

Pulmonary and GI Symptoms at the End of Life

"Inhaled morphine (injectable medication delivered via a nebulizer)should also be considered as a treatment alternative because it may act more quickly and have more direct effects on peripherally mediated dyspnea."

http://www.acponline.org/vas2001/sessions/end_life.htm

Doses initially of 5mg morphine diluted in either 2ml or 5ml 0.9% sodium chloride or water and nebulised over 15 minutes have been used. This dose may be repeated four hourly. If shortness of breath recurs in less than four hours or it the patient does not significantly improve then the dose may be increased by 25 - 30%. The maximum dose of morphine recommended is 30mg. Preservative free solutions are preferred when preparing doses as the presence of preservatives have been found to cause bronchoconstriction and bronchitis in some patients

http://www.stjames.ie/nmic/qa.html

Management of Common Symptoms

in Terminally Ill Patients: Part II.

Constipation, Delirium and Dyspnea

http://www.aafp.org/afp/20010915/1019.pdf

Pain in the elderly

http://www.nurseweek.com/ce/ce712a.html

aimeee, BSN, RN · Feb 10, 2002

Great info, Karen. Thanks for searching it out!

tex · Aug 19, 2002

I have used preservative morphine on many occasions, what a great drug and would suggest every nurse to explain and ask for this medication to the MD. It makes a big difference. What MD's, families have to understand and with good teaching this does not interfere with regular morphine of any type. Good luck, hope you have a good pharmacy that compounds meds. Tex