Year: 2004
Type: dissertation
Abstract: The pharmacist Sertürner first isolated morphine from opium in 1803 and named it after\nMorpheus, the god of dreams in Greco-Roman mythology. Ever since, it has been one of\nthe most frequently used drugs to relieve pain, for a variety of age groups. In our days,\nhowever, there is still debate whether morphine and analgesic therapy should serve as\nstandard of care for hospitalized newborns.\nUntil the last decade of the 20th century, premature neonates were generally believed to\nhave little pain sensation and thus not in need of analgesic therapy. The studies of Anand\net al., which showed decreased morbidity and mortality in neonatal patients receiving\nadequate analgesic therapy after surgery, were instrumental in altering this notion.\nAt present it is widely recognized that even the most premature neonates can feel pain.\nWhile neonatal pain experiences have been suggested to bring about short and long-term\nnegative consequences, analgesic therapy in the vulnerable newborns can also carry\nrisks, such as increased incidence of seizures. This leaves us with the question whether\nthe benefits of treatment will outweigh the side effects and potential hazards of analgesic\ntreatment. Or, in other words, is morphine more fine?\nThe studies described in this thesis generally aim to improve neonatal pain treatment, by\ninvestigating the beneficial and adverse effects of neonatal morphine use. They also aim\nat improving our knowledge of how newborns respond to pain and how to measure pain\nobjectively: pain assessment.
Author: Sinno H. P. Simons
Language: English
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W1695015960