| Tolerance |
Loss of drug effect with chronic dosing; requires more drug for the same analgesic effect. |
| Physiologic Dependence |
Development of a withdrawal syndrome when a drug is suddenly discontinued or an antagonist is administered. |
| Pseudoaddiction |
Patient exhibits distress and engages in medication-seeking behaviors because pain treatment is inadequate. Behaviors typically resolve when pain is adequately treated. |
| Substance Use Disorder |
The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders-5 contains a comprehensive list of criteria for mild, moderate, and severe substance use disorder. Selected criteria include taking an opioid in larger amounts than prescribed or for longer than prescribed, a desire to decrease use but unable to do so, craving use, a decrease in social or occupational activities due to opioid use. |
| Equianalgesic dose ratio |
Ratio of the dose of two opioids required to produce the same analgesic effect. |
| Total pain |
Pain is not just physical but is also mental, psychological, emotional, spiritual – is the basis for the concept of “total pain” as coined by Cicely Saunders in the 1960s. |
