Recommendation ID
NG61/4
Question

Managing breakthrough pain:- What is the acceptability, safety, and effectiveness of different types of opioid analgesia for breakthrough pain in children and young people with life-limiting conditions who are having end of life care in the community?

Any explanatory notes
(if applicable)

Why this is important:- Opioids (with morphine the most common first-line agent) are effective as background analgesia for children and young people who are having end of life care. However, no evidence was identified on how to provide safe and effective breakthrough analgesia (particularly in community settings). This potentially exposes children and young people who are having end of life care in the community to untreated pain or significant side effects. Studies should aim to provide evidence-based options to help manage breakthrough pain in the community. This would improve the safety and effectiveness of care for breakthrough pain, and would be likely to reduce emergency hospital admissions.


Source guidance details

Comes from guidance
End of life care for infants, children and young people with life-limiting conditions: planning and management
Number
NG61
Date issued
December 2016

Other details

Is this a recommendation for the use of a technology only in the context of research? No  
Is it a recommendation that suggests collection of data or the establishment of a register?   No  
Last Reviewed 31/12/2016