Morphine rejection

Morphine is one of the most widely used drugs for the treatment of pain. Fifteen percent of morphine’s composition is extracted from the juice of the poppy, although the rest is a mixture of other related alkaloids such as noscapine, thebaine, codeine and papaverine, among others.

Its clinical use began in the 19th century, but it did not reach its true efficacy until the 20th century.

Today this drug is still compared with the potency of other analgesics and first choice or rescue medication in many painful conditions because of its efficacy, tolerability, ease of use, routes of administration and low cost.

However, there is a large part of health professionals and a large part of the population that rejects its use.

Causes of morphine rejection

One of the main causes of its rejection is the fear of respiratory depression, because morphine produces it at high doses.

Another cause is the fear of addiction, because in the collective unconscious there are images of addicts hooked on drugs. If used continuously, morphine generates a mechanism of habituation that produces nonconformity when its use is discontinued. This is a possible effect, but for it to occur it must be habitual, prolonged and uncontrolled use. But this also occurs with other drugs, such as steroids, antidepressants or antiepileptics.

There are other causes, such as fear of other side effects such as dizziness, nausea, constipation, which are also related to other substances and lifestyle habits.

In any case, it is an excellent ally against pain, especially in the health and hospital environment. Therefore, it is difficult to understand its rejection.

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Fear cannot dictate our actions; adequate training on its effects and defects aimed at professionals and patients would improve this fear and allow its use when the indication advises it at the most appropriate doses and by the most appropriate route.