Epidemiology of Opioid Use -- Assessment of Pain in the ICU -- Pharmacology and Pharmacokinetics of Opioids in the ICU -- Opioid Analgesics Interactions with other Drugs -- Side Effects of Opioid Analgesic Therapy -- Rational Selection and Utilization of Opioid Analgesics in Critical/Acute Care -- Monitoring of Opioid Analgesic Use and its Effects in Acute Care -- Opioid Tolerance and Hyperalgesia in the ICU -- Strategies to Prevent and Treat Opioid Tolerance and Hyperalgesia in the ICU, I -- Strategies to Prevent and Treat Opioid Tolerance and Hyperalgesia in the ICU, II -- Interaction of Opioids with Sedative Practices in the ICU -- Acute Pain Management in Patients with Opioid Dependence -- Management of Opioid Overdose -- Use of Opioid Analgesics in Post-Surgical and Trauma Patients -- Post intensive Care Syndrome and the Potential Long-Term Effects of Pain and Opioid Therapy in the ICU -- Special ICU Populations: Opioids in Neurocritical Care -- Special ICU Populations: Opioids in Geriatrics -- Special ICU Populations: Opioids in Obstetrics, Labor & Delivery.

This book provides a concise yet comprehensive overview on the use of opioids in the ICU, offering practical, real-world recommendations on opioid utilization and alternative therapies. The text explains the physiology and assessment of pain and the need for analgesia in the ICU, details the pharmacology of opioids and their use in providing analgesia, sedation, and comfort for patients during critical illness, and summarizes advanced pharmaceutical and surgical approaches to pain management and procedural applications that can supplement, minimize, or replace opioids for the ICU patient. The book also includes algorithms and step-by-step approaches on navigating the delicate balance between the relief of suffering and the adverse effects of opioids, as well as a dedicated section on the management of critically ill patients with preexisting opioid tolerance. Written by experts in the field, Opioid Use in Critical Care: A Practical Guide is a valuable resource for ICU providers who treat and manage critically ill patients with opioids.