Awan, S., & Wilcock, A. (2015). Nonopioid medication for the relief of refractory breathlessness. Current Opinion in Supportive and Palliative Care, 9, 227–231.
DOI Link
Purpose
STUDY PURPOSE: To review the current evidence regarding nonopioid medication for the treatment of refractory breathlessness
TYPE OF STUDY: General review/semisystematic review
Search Strategy
Literature Evaluated
Sample Characteristics
- FINAL NUMBER STUDIES INCLUDED = Not provided
- TOTAL PATIENTS INCLUDED IN REVIEW = Not provided
- SAMPLE RANGE ACROSS STUDIES: Not provided
- KEY SAMPLE CHARACTERISTICS: Most studies included were of patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Some reviews included patients with cancer.
Phase of Care and Clinical Applications
PHASE OF CARE: Not specified or not applicable
APPLICATIONS: Palliative care
Results
Medications included were benzodiazepines, cannabinoids, nebulized furosemide, and phenothiazines. No clear benefit of these medications was found. One study suggested positive results of nebulized furosemide in patients with COPD, but studies of patients with cancer did not show similar results.
Conclusions
Insufficient evidence exists to show the benefit of any of the specific medications reviewed in this article.
Limitations
- Limited search
- Limited number of studies included
- No quality evaluation
- Little information specific to cancer
- Very limited report
Nursing Implications
This review does not provide strong evidence for the positives effects of benzodiazepines, cannabinoids, phenothiazines, or nebulized furosemide on refractory dyspnea.