Side effects of Roxinal include breathing problems.
Roxinal is a pharmaceutical that contains morphine sulfate as its primary ingredient to combat chronic pain. According to the manufacturer's website, each milliliter of Roxinol contains 20 mg of morphine sulfate, which is classified as an analgesic narcotic. This drug is effective for pain management but has several side effects, which include potential addiction, drowsiness, shortness of breath and allergic reactions leading to the swelling of the lips, tongue and throat.
Forms of Roxinal
Roxinal can be taken with or without food and is available in a tablet or capsule form as well as in a liquid and a suppository form for those on breathing or feeding tubes. Since this medication may be habit forming, the manufacturer's website warns that patients should not abruptly stop taking this medication, but rather slowly decrease the dosage to better cope with symptoms of withdrawal.
Dyspnea
Dyspnea is a medical term that describes difficulty in breathing. The March 2011 issue of the "Journal of Pain and Symptom Management" detailed the effects of 10 mg per day of morphine on this condition. The researchers examined 83 patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and found that 52 of them responded well to the medication, which relieved breathing problems. The study concluded that a dose of 10 mg per day is safe and effective for the treatment of COPD.
Morphine
Morphine works by activating molecules in the brain, called opioid receptors. Briefly, morphine sulfate will bind to these receptors and block the transmission of nerve cells associated with the sensation of pain; however, blocking nerve impulses also leads to breathing difficulties. A study published in the April 2011 issue of "Molecular Pain" investigated potential mechanisms and their effects on nerve cells of the dorsal root ganglia of the sciatic nerve. The study found that the drug will actually constrict the nerves and thereby inhibit the ability of the nerve to pass on impulses to adjoining nerves, which effectively relieves pain.
Side Effects
A study published in the April 2011 issue of "Knee Surgery, Sports Traumatology" compared relative levels of pain with morphine consumption and range of motion in patients who had a procedure called total knee arthroplasty, or replacement of the knee. Additionally, the study evaluated side effects and complications of morphine use for two years following surgery. The study used two groups of patients: one that discontinued use of morphine three days after surgery and a second, in which the patients discontinued use after seven days. The researchers found that the second group had lower relative pain scores than the first after the two-year period, and there was no significant difference in the outcomes of the procedures or in side effects, including breathing problems.
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