Patients must be taught to expect pain relief. The presence of severe pain is morally unacceptable. The side effects from morphine are usually transient and easily managed. Mental clouding is minimal after the initial doses. Pain control can be obtained with doses which are below those which cause the patient to be stuporous.
Respiratory depression occurs in opioid naive patient.
Tolerance to respiratory depression develops rapidly. Morphine can be safely used in patients with lung disease. Constipation is a universal side effect of narcotics. Patients should receive stool softeners and laxatives along with their first doses of morphine. The patient is the best judge of the presence of pain and the severity of the pain.