Tough on Drugs

Sleep-disordered breathing was common when chronic pain patients took prescribed opioids. A direct dose-response relationship was found between central sleep apnea and methadone and benzodiazepines, an association which had not been previously reported.

Posted on Tue, 11 Sep 2007 00:00:00 EDT at http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/200...104140.htm

I usually keep my patients overnight in the intensive care unit after this operation.After all, such patients have poor nocturnal airways to begin with,and the post-operative swelling that inevitably occurs could worsen their airway problems.The results are potentially catastrophic.If the patient does well that first night is eating and drinking well and does not require an excessive amount of pain medication, then he or she can usually be sent home the following day.Pain and poor liquid intake are two common reasons that I would keep someone in the hospital a bit longer.