Promising medication counteracts constipation caused by opioid painkillers
by Zangani • 16 July 2014 • Pain News
Opioids — strong morphine-based painkillers — are widely prescribed to patients experiencing chronic severe pain. While these drugs are very effective for treating and managing pain, they have one particularly bothersome side effect: constipation. A new drug, called naloxegol, could bring relief. In stage 3 trials, international researchers provide new evidence that the drug relieves constipation without dulling opioids’ pain-relieving effects.