Low dose morphine can help lung disease patients sleep better
Dr. Altree said.
“To relieve shortness of breath, doctors often prescribe low-dose morphine to people with COPD. It can be very effective, but we really don’t fully understand how this drug actually improves breathing.
One way that we think it works is by improving sleep quality, which has the effect of helping with next-day breathlessness. ”
This study follows work done at Flinders University by Professor David Currow, a world expert in dyspnea, whose research led to morphine being licensed by the Australian Therapeutic Products Administration. for chronic dyspnea in 2019.
Dr Altree says the results of this study will have important implications for how doctors treat COPD in the future.
“For the first time, this study will show the specific effects of morphine on sleep in COPD. If we want to develop better treatments for dyspnea in the future, we need to answer the following key questions about sleep and breathing in COPD:. ”
Source: Medindia