breakthrough pain

breakthrough pain

n.

Transient, severe pain occurring against a background of stable, persistent, adequately controlled pain.

The American Heritage® Medical Dictionary Copyright © 2007, 2004 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.

(1) Severe intermittent cancer pain that does not respond to the usual modalities—e.g., opiates—and may require anesthetic procedures—e.g., nerve blocks—intraspinal infusions of analgesic medication, or neuroablation
(2) A transitory flareup of pain in the setting of chronic pain managed with opioids. Breakthrough pain is related to a tumour or effects of therapy, or rarely, neither

Segen's Medical Dictionary. © 2012 Farlex, Inc. All rights reserved.

breakthrough pain

Oncology Severe intermittent cancer pain that does not respond to the usual modalities–eg, opiates; BP may require anesthetic procedures–eg, nerve blocks, intraspinal infusions of analgesic medication, or neuroablation

McGraw-Hill Concise Dictionary of Modern Medicine. © 2002 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

break·through pain

(brāk'thrū pān)

Discomfort, usually acute and severe, which is experienced by patients between the normal doses of a medication that generally controls or palliates such pain.

Medical Dictionary for the Health Professions and Nursing © Farlex 2012