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Diseases of old age Terapia 2023, 12 ( 431 ) :  61  -  66

Pharmacological management of chronic noncancer pain in frail older people

Summary: Non-cancer chronic pain is a common problem among older frailty patients. This group of patients more often suffers from diseases that may cause pain (diseases of the musculoskeletal system, postherpetic neuralgia, diabetic neuropathy). Appropriate clinical assessment of a patient with pain is a key element in the treatment of chronic pain. Geriatric patients often underestimate the intensity of pain or do not report it at all, which is associated with the phenomenon of underestimation of pain. At the same time, in patients with cognitive disorders, attention should be paid to unusual behaviors indicating the presence of pain, and the assessment should use scales and tools adapted to the patient's cognitive abilities. For most painkillers, there are no general dosing guidelines based on the patient's age. Therefore, initiating analgesic therapy in a geriatric patient with frailty syndrome should start with low doses and then gradually increase them to achieve optimal analgesic effect. Additionally, the choice of drug should be adapted to the nature of the pain and its intensity. It is important to develop a personalized treatment plan that will allow the patient to achieve the highest possible quality of life while minimizing the risk of side effects.
Keywords: older people, frailty, chronic pain, analgesia, polypharmacy

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