Are Opioids Associated with Sleep Apnea? A Review of the Evidence

Overview

Journal Curr Pain Headache Rep

Date 2009 Mar 11

PMID 19272277

Citations 12

Authors

James M Walker

Robert J Farney

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Chronic opioid use for nonmalignant pain has increased dramatically; nonillicit unintentional deaths have also increased. This article reviews the physiology of breathing, effects of sleep on respiration, effects of opioids on respiration, potential interactions between sleep and opioids on respiration, and current evidence that chronic opioid use is associated with sleep-disordered breathing.

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