Pluri Psychopathology and Risk of Opioid Use Disorder

Abstract

Teresa Lopez-Arteaga

Background: Psychiatric comorbidty is an important risk factor when predicting risk of opioid use disorder in chronic non-cancer pain. We present a case with gender dysphoria, in wich psychiatric comorbidity was not taken into account for de prescription of pharmacological treatment for pain.

Case presentation: We report the case of a 51-year-old man with gender dysphoria, personality disorder, chronic pain disorder and opioid use disorder. For the last 9 years he has taken continuousy transdermal fentanyl prescribed by chronic non-cancer pain. Despite of presenting a pluripathology that discouraged the use of opioids in this patient, throughout his evolution, he has gone to different non-psychiatrists and has shown himself with a querulous, confictive and demanding attitude, so that he managed to keep on raising his dose of prescribed opioids.

Conclusions: This case shows the importance of knowing the risk factors of consumption due to the use of opioids patients with chronic non-cancer pain, the importance of psychiatric comorbidity associated with prognosis and the neeed to know exactly how opioids are managed by some prescribers, as well as to carry out an interdisciplinary therapeutic plan to avoid risks.

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