Use of Analgesics in Palliative Care Patients in Trivandrum Rural Areas

BACKGROUND: Many analgesics are available in market and a large number of patients are using them for the relief of pain, especially in chronic diseases. Among these palliative patients, the use of analgesics is long term. In this context, this study aimed to determine the pattern of different analgesics use and their pain relief in chronic pain and its compliance with doctors prescription in palliative care patients. METHODOLOGY: A convenient sampling survey is carried out using a structured questionnaire among thepalliative care patients registered, with Vettoor Primary Health Centre (PHC), Kilmanoor PHC and Adayamon PHC in Trivandrum District of Kerala State, India. The obtained data is analysed using statistical analysis. RESULTS: Forty Eight patients (32 females and 16 men) participated in this study. Mean age was 58 years. The majority (81.3%) suffered from malignancy. Analgesics used were nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) (94%) and opioids (4%). CONCLUSION: The chronic pain patients, under home based palliative care, the patients are using more NSAIDs than Opioids and hence the extent of pain relief is less and also majority were using analgesics in compliance with their prescriptions.