Oral Methylnaltrexone for Opioid-Induced Constipation Vol.
Constipation is a common adverse effect of opioid pain medication used to treat cancer patients.
1 Conventional therapy may not provide sufficient relief of constipation, which can be severe enough to limit opioid use or dose. However, oral medication is a safer and more convenient way to deliver the drug. In this study, we evaluated the efficacy of oral methylnaltrexone for patients receiving long-term methadone therapy. On day 2 at 9 AM, patients again received lactulose and a capsule containing methylnaltrexone. Patients were single-blinded to the treatment they received.