[Quality characteristics concerning pain therapy].

The Institute of Medicine (IOM) reports "Crossing the Quality Chasm proposed 7 aims for high-quality healthcare: effective, safe, timely, efficient, equitable, patient-centred, and emphasized care coordination. The quality of pain treatment can also be shown by structure quality, process quality, and outcome quality. The present investigation shows methods of the qualitative capture of pain therapy.

[Analgetics, co-analgetics and opioid-analgetics in the elderly].

There is a continuous increase in the proportion of elderly patients. Therefore physicians should be aware of specifics according to pain therapy in the elderly. This review will concentrate on selected topics related to pain therapy in the elderly patient.

[Opioids: modern concepts of pain management].

In cancer pain management the application of opioids is established and follows the WHO guidelines. In the management of chronic non-cancer pain opioids are used increasingly but the effectiveness is less. Several central and gastrointestinal side effects can limit the outcome.

Direct conversion from oral morphine to transdermal fentanyl: a multicenter study in patients with cancer pain.

Direct conversion from oral morphine to transdermal fentanyl with a ratio of oral morphine/transdermal fentanyl (100:1 mg) daily was examined in patients with cancer pain. Patients with a 'stable and low level of cancer pain' receiving a constant dosage of sustained release morphine during a pre-study phase of 6 days were included in the study. Initial fentanyl dosage was calculated by a conversion table.