Which is stronger methadone or morphine

But is that the answer? Barak Gaster, a general internist at the University of Washington, Seattle. Methadone is a highly unusual opiate.

The dose-response relationship is far more variable and idiosyncratic than for oxycodone or other opiates. Methadone has numerous active metabolites. And as those active metabolites accumulate during the first 2 weeks on any given dose of the drug, patients will gradually experience greater analgesia and, disturbingly, more respiratory depression as well.

Gaster explained at the annual meeting of the American College of Physicians. The other major shortcoming of methadone as a treatment for chronic pain is that the drug comes in big-dose tablets designed for once-daily treatment of heroin addiction. The effective analgesic score EAS that monitors the analgesic consumption-pain ratio was also calculated at fixed weekly intervals. Results: differences in pain intensity were found.

Patients treated with methadone reported values of OEI significantly less than those observed in patients treated with morphine.

Seven patients in the methadone group maintained the same initial dosage until death, whereas only one patient in the morphine group did not require opioid dose escalation. Hide detailed description. Detailed Description:. The following tests and procedures will be performed: You will be asked about your level of pain.

You will be asked about any pain killers you are currently taking. You will be asked about your history of allergies. Blood about 1 teaspoon will be drawn to check your kidney function. FDA Resources. Arms and Interventions. Outcome Measures. Eligibility Criteria. Information from the National Library of Medicine Choosing to participate in a study is an important personal decision.

Patient is receiving mild opioids e. Patient requires initiation of strong opioid for cancer pain. Patient has the ability to receive morphine or methadone orally. Patient has no known allergy or severe toxicity to morphine or morphine-like drugs e. Patient has normal cognition defined as normal state of arousal and absence of obvious clinical findings of confusion, memory or concentration deficit.

Patient's performance status ECOG is 3 or less. Patient is willing to sign written informed consent. Patient is 18 years of age or older. Exclusion Criteria: Patient has concurrent strong opioid for cancer pain, such as morphine, hydromorphone, oxycodone, meperidine, fentanyl, oral transmucosal fentanyl citrate OTFC , sufentanil, methadone, levorphanol, transdermal fentanyl. Patient is receiving radiation therapy for pain control. Patient is receiving drugs that interacting with methadone, such as delavirdine, fluconazole, fluvoxamine, bravavir, amprenavir, efavirenz, lopinavir, nelfinavir, nevirapine, carbamazepine, dexamethasone Patients receiving short term chemotherapy-related doses are permitted , phenytoin, rifampin, or grapefruit,.

Patients are determined incapable of completing the evaluation forms. Severe hypotension, acute or severe asthma, paralytic ileus, gastrointestinal obstruction, severe respiratory depression. Contacts and Locations. Information from the National Library of Medicine To learn more about this study, you or your doctor may contact the study research staff using the contact information provided by the sponsor.

Please refer to this study by its ClinicalTrials. DeBakey V. Anderson Cancer Center. More Information. National Library of Medicine U. National Institutes of Health U. Department of Health and Human Services. The safety and scientific validity of this study is the responsibility of the study sponsor and investigators. Advanced Cancer Solid Tumors. Drug: Morphine Drug: Methadone. Phase 3.