Sleep Apnea May Be Side Effect for Arthritis Patients Taking Opioid Pain Medications

Opioid analgesics, medications that are commonly prescribed to treat chronic pain conditions including arthritis and related diseases, may cause sleep apnea. Researchers found that sleep-disordered breathing was a common side effect among chronic pain patients who took opioid-based pain medications. According to an article published online July 30, 2007 in Pain Medicine, the journal of the American Academy of Pain Medicine, researchers analyzed sleep study data from 140 patients who were taking opioid medications around-the-clock to treat chronic pain. All of the patients in the study had been on opioid pain medications for at least 6 months.

Study results revealed that obstructive and central sleep apnea syndromes occurred at a much higher rate among the study group than is evident in the general population. While it is estimated that obstructive sleep apnea affects 2-4 percent of the general population and central sleep apnea affects 1.5-5 percent of people depending on age, the rate soared to 75 percent among people taking opioid pain medications in the study.

Central sleep apnea causes people to stop breathing during sleep due to faulty brain control. Obstructive sleep apnea is triggered by obesity and other health problems that also cause loud snoring. Researchers suggested that sleep apnea caused by opioid pain medications may be due to the direct effect of the medication on the part of the brain that controls respiration. Researchers also found a direct dose-related response between central sleep apnea and methadone as well as drugs classified as benzodiazepines. The risk of side effects, in this case sleep apnea, must be balanced against the benefits of taking opioid pain medications. Many chronic pain patients experience a significantly improved quality of life, but medicines should always be adjusted for maximum safety.

Related Resources:

• The Facts of Painkillers
• Preventing Abuse of Pain Medications
• Do Arthritis Patients Vary in Pain Tolerance?
• 10 Things You Should Know About Analgesics
• When Are Pain Medications Appropriate for Arthritis Patients?

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