Mr.Williams has been diagnosed with inoperable bowel cancer.Over the past month the nurse has observed his dose of morphine slowly increase as his pain has increased.Which of the following best describes the effect of his response to the opioid analgesic?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The gradual increase in morphine dosage suggests drug tolerance, which occurs when the body becomes less responsive to a drug over time, resulting in the need for higher doses to achieve the same pain relief. Equianalgesia refers to the ability to achieve comparable pain relief with different opioids at equivalent doses, addiction is a complex behavioral disorder characterized by compulsive drug seeking, and physical dependence refers to the development of withdrawal symptoms when a drug is discontinued.

MrWilliams Has Been Diagnosed with Inoperable Bowel Cancer