Pharmacological strategy for overcoming opioid-induced ventilatory disturbances.

Opioids are among the most frequently used analgesics for treatment of severe pain. However, certain of their side-effects, particularly ventilatory disturbances, often restrict their use. Separation of analgesia from respiratory depression has long been a goal in the basic research and therapeutic use of opioids. This report briefly describes opioid-induced respiratory depression and possible pharmacological strategies to counteract this without affecting analgesia.