Question

A client who suffered multiple trauma in a motor vehicle accident is receiving care in an orthopedic trauma unit. The client has a documented history or opioid addiction and the hospital's advanced pain control team has become involved in his pain control plan. Which of the following are aspects of addiction? Select all that apply.

A. The need to use opioids for purposes other than pain relief
B. Compulsive use of a particular drug
C. Presence of an unusually low pain threshold
D. The need for increasing size or frequency of opioid doses to achieve pain relief
E. The use of more than 30 mg of morphine or 15 mg of hydromorphone in a 24 hour period

Answer 1

Key aspects of opioid addiction include the compulsive use of the drug despite adverse consequences, tolerance development requiring increased doses for pain relief, and using opioids for nonmedical purposes. High opioid usage levels and a low pain threshold are not definitive indicators of addiction by themselves.

Step-by-step explanation:

Understanding Aspects of Addiction

Aspects of addiction in the context of opioid use include several key factors. Compulsive use of a drug, such as opioids, despite negative consequences is a core aspect of addiction. This reflects a psychological entrenchment in the usage pattern of the substance. Moreover, tolerance development, where there is a need for increasing doses of opioids to achieve the same level of pain relief, is another hallmark of addiction. Finally, using opioids for nonmedical purposes, that is, beyond the relief of pain for which they were prescribed, signifies an additional aspect of addiction. Physical dependency is indicated by withdrawal symptoms when the drug is not taken, but it is not solely indicative of addiction without the other behavioral components mentioned.

The quantity of opioid use, such as more than 30 mg of morphine or 15 mg of hydromorphone in a 24-hour period, may indicate a high level of tolerance or severe pain, but it does not, in itself, necessarily indicate addiction. Similarly, an unusually low pain threshold may suggest a higher need for pain control but does not directly correlate with addiction.