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GLOSSARY OF TERMS
- Abdominal distension - an abnormal enlargement of the abdominal cavity which may be caused by an accumulation of fluids and gas
- Adverse events - Unfavorable and unintended signs, symptoms, disease or event that occurs while taking a medication which may or may not be related to the medication
- Analgesia - absence of the ability to feel pain, without loss of consciousness or touch sensation, in response to stimulation that would normally be painful
- Antagonist - a substance that interferes with the physiological action of another substance
- Bloating - a condition in which the abdomen feels full and tight; often caused by excessive intestinal gas
- Bowel - also called the intestine; the tubular portion of the alimentary canal extending from below the stomach to the anus, made up of the small intestine (duodenum, jejunum, and ileum) and large intestine (cecum, colon, rectum and anal canal)
- Chronic non-malignant pain - persistent non-cancer related pain
- Colon - part of the large intestine, extending from the cecum to the rectum
- Constipation - a condition in which bowel movements are infrequent or incomplete
- Cox proportional hazard model - a statistical model widely used for the analysis of survival data to assess the treatment effect on time to event
- Distension - expansion or bloating leading to abdominal pain or cramping
- Early ambulation - process of advancing patient from bed-rest to walking as quickly as possible after surgery
- Endogenous opioids - compounds that originate from within the human body such as beta- endorphin and elicit a physiological effect by binding to opioid receptors in the body
- Exogenous opioids - synthetic or natural drug substances, such as morphine and codeine, administered from outside the body that elicit a physiological effect by binding to opioid receptors in the body
- Flatus - intestinal gas which may be passed from the anus
- Gastroesophageal reflux - when gastric juice from the stomach backs up into the esophagus
- Hazard function - the probability of the event occurring at a given timepoint
- Hazard ratio - the ratio of the hazard functions between treatment groups
- Intestine - see bowel
- Laparotomy - a surgical incision made through the wall of the abdomen
- Malignant pain - acute or chronic pain associated with cancer
- Mu opioid receptors - one of three major sub-types of opioid receptors found in the central nervous system (CNS) and other organs including the gastrointestinal (GI) tract which are activated by opioid analgesics such as morphine
- Narcotic - a drug with addiction potential that reduces pain, alters mood and behaviors, and usually induces sleep; opioid analgesics are among the most common types of narcotics
- Nasogastric (NG) decompression (or nasogastric intubation) - Insertion of a tube through a nostril into the stomach for the purpose of decompressing gas (releasing pressure) and draining accumulated liquids
- Nausea - a feeling of sickness characterized by an urge or need to vomit
- Neurotransmitter - a stimulatory or inhibitory chemical released from nerve cells that acts as a messenger between nerve cells (neurons) or between neurons and other tissues such as muscles or glands
- Opioid - a drug used to relieve or manage pain that elicits a physiologic effect via interaction with one of three subtypes of opioid receptors found in the body
- Opioid antagonist - a drug that binds to opioid receptors and blocks the effects of opioid analgesics such as morphine or codeine; antagonists do not have a direct physiologic effect
- Opioid-induced bowel dysfunction (OBD) - refers to the negative gastrointestinal side effects caused by the use of opioids for treatment of acute or chronic pain, which can include constipation, straining, hard stools, incomplete evacuation, and/or two or fewer bowel movements per week; constipation is often accompanied by other GI symptoms such as abdominal pain and discomfort, bloating, gastro-esophageal reflux and loss of appetite. These GI side effects occur because opioids bind to mu opioid receptors in the gut, reducing GI motility and secretions
- Opioid receptors - large peptide molecules found on the surface of cells such as neurons that produce a specific physiologic effect when activated by morphine or related opioid analgesics or by endogenous opioid peptides
- PAM-OR - peripherally acting mu-opioid receptor antagonists – compounds that bind selectively to peripheral mu opioid receptors, e.g. in the GI tract, without crossing the blood brain barrier
- Persistent pain - also known as chronic pain: sustained, unremitting suffering lasting months or years caused by disease, injury or physical decline
- Postoperative ileus (POI) - transient impairment of gastrointestinal motility and function characterized by abdominal distension and pain, nausea and vomiting, reduced desire to eat, and an inability to pass flatus (gas) or stool. POI may be brought on by manipulation of the bowel during surgery; opioid use during and after surgery may prolong recovery from POI
- Prokinetic agent - a compound that promotes motility in the GI tract
- Respiratory depression - the slowing or cessation of one's breathing which is sometimes associated with the use of opioids
- Spontaneous bowel movement- a bowel movement without use of laxatives
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