History and prospects for the use of morphine in clinical practice: literature review

Abstract

The authors analyzed various studies on acute and chronic pain syndrome treatment. This review provides brief historical data on the discovery and use of morphine from ancient times to present. Morphine remains one of the most common painkillers worldwide and has a rich history dating back more than 200 years. Its basic properties, pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics, and principles of use are discussed. No drug has had such an impact on society as morphine because of its medical use as a pain reliever and its illicit use as a drug of addiction and abuse. This review includes the main modern recommendations for the treatment of acute and chronic pain, particularly from the World Health Organization for the treatment of chronic pain and the Procedure-Specific Postoperative Pain Management (PROSPECT) group for the treatment of postoperative pain in various surgical interventions. The types of opioids and their clinical use are described, and the authors’ opinion on the current use of morphine for treating acute and chronic pain syndrome is presented.