High doses of oxycodone–naloxone combination may provide poor analgesia

Abstract

Several studies have shown that an oxycodone/naloxone combination (ratio 2:1) provides analgesia and less constipation in non-cancer patients receiving relatively low doses of this formulation. A case report of a cancer patient who was receiving increasing doses of oxycodone with an unexpected declining analgesia is presented. The substitution with the same doses (240 mg/day) of regular controlled-release oxycodone was effective in regaining adequate analgesia.