Behaviours of Patients Who Take Their Strong Opioids as Unmeasured 'Sips'

Abstract

Context: Some patients take their strong opioid painkillers as unmeasured sips.

Objectives: To investigate how and why patients take their medication in this way.

Methods: Patient receiving specialist palliative care who take their strong opioid painkillers as unmeasured sips were recruited. Measurement was made of the mass of two sips per patient and qualitative interviews using a topic guide were conducted. Interview transcripts were thematically analyzed using a phenomenological approach.

Results: Only two of 16 patients were taking within 20% of the correct dose of their breakthrough liquid strong analgesia. Many varied the dose depending on the severity of the pain episode. Convenience, confusion about the correct dose, and issues with spoons were the other main reasons for people choosing to sip.

Conclusion: This is the first published study exploring the behavior of patients who take their strong analgesia as unmeasured sips. Knowing that patients who sip are likely to be taking an incorrect dose, and the reasons behind sipping may help clinicians to help these patients to manage their pain better.

Keywords: Pain; cancer; pharmacology.