Abstract
Side effects of morphine are common when it is given in titrated doses to control severe pain in advanced cancer. We describe a case of severe back pain resistant to parenteral morphine accompanied by muscle spasm, in which the addition of diazepam both had an opioid-sparing effect and provided superior symptomatic relief. Diazepam appears to have a specific role as an adjuvant analgesic for pain due to skeletal muscle spasm associated with painful vertebral metastases.
MeSH terms
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Back Pain / drug therapy*
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Back Pain / etiology*
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Carcinoma, Renal Cell / secondary*
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Diazepam / administration & dosage
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Diazepam / pharmacology*
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Humans
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Kidney Neoplasms / pathology*
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Lumbar Vertebrae / pathology
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Male
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Middle Aged
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Muscle Relaxants, Central / administration & dosage
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Muscle Relaxants, Central / pharmacology*
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Muscle, Skeletal / pathology
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Spasm / complications*
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Spasm / etiology
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Spinal Neoplasms / complications*
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Spinal Neoplasms / secondary*
Substances
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Muscle Relaxants, Central
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Diazepam