Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP
Path: utzoo!mnetor!seismo!ut-sally!utah-cs!cetron
From: cetron@utah-cs.UUCP (Edward J Cetron)
Newsgroups: sci.med
Subject: Re: Aspirin vs. Codine
Message-ID: <3957@utah-cs.UUCP>
Date: Fri, 17-Oct-86 16:58:35 EDT
Article-I.D.: utah-cs.3957
Posted: Fri Oct 17 16:58:35 1986
Date-Received: Sat, 18-Oct-86 00:00:30 EDT
References: <1823@bu-cs.bu-cs.BU.EDU> <529@cci632.UUCP> <21708@rochester.ARPA>
Reply-To: cetron@utah-cs.UUCP (Edward J Cetron)
Organization: Center for Engineering Design, Univ of Utah
Lines: 28
Keywords: patient controlled analgesia...


	Lately, several studies have been performed at numerous hospitals
to alleviate the 'subjectiveness' of pain medication 'orders'.. The idea
is to provide an infusion pump full of pain killer with the controller under
the patient's control.... limits are imposed on the maximum dosage allowed
total as well as the max dosage/unit time.....

	At least one of the studies has been performed here at the Univ of
Utah Med Center with the following (generalized) results:

	1. Patients (especially repeaters) indicated that they had less 
		discomfort from post-op pain (and lets face it, its the
		PERCEPTION  of pain which is the real measure of drug
		efficacy...)
	2. There were few problems from a technical standpoint.
	3. There were little/no instances of substance abuse.
	4. There appeared to be a lowered dependence on the particular drug
		leading to what might become less chance of addiction.
	5. And MOST suprisingly, the total amount and rate of drug delivery
		was down VERY significantly (I think someone even mentioned
		some numbers like 50-60% but I'm not real sure....)

	I think the real issue is not WHAT medication to use, but HOW....

-ed cetron
center for biomedical design
Univ. of Utah