While opioids may be used to manage abdominal pain in select acute settings in IBD patients, their prolonged use may mask the symptoms of active IBD or its complications (e.g., bowel perforation or megacolon). Chronic opioid use has been proven ineffective for non-malignancy associated chronic pain and is associated with excess mortality. Moreover, because of their potential risk for dependence, their long-term use for managing IBD-related abdominal pain should be avoided especially in the context of the opioid crisis in North America.
Conditions: Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), abdominal pain, bowel perforation, megacolon
Treatments: Opioids
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