Use of Morphine for Palliative Care based on their prescription

Abstract

Morphine is an opioid that it is used as sedative analgesics or pain reliever. Different form-doses are only legally available with medical prescription. Morphine is the strongest naturally occurring drug, used for post-surgical pain and extreme pain like cancer pain. The aim of this study is to analyze the quantity of morphine used in different form-doses for palliative care in Albania during the years 2018-2022 The study is based on the reimbursement data for different form-doses of morphine used in the period 2018- 2022 in Albania from Compulsory Health Care Insurance Fund (FSDKSH). From the data resulted that during the last year 2021-2022 the quantity of morphine used in Albania with medical prescription for terminal patient is increased where the most commonly form-doses used are morphine hydrochloride solution for injection 10mg/ml and morphine sulphate prolonged release capsules 60mg. During the years 2019-2022 morphine sulphate prolonged release capsules 100mg and 10mg are no longer used as a result of the introduction of morphine sulphate oral solution 20mg/ml and morphine hydrochloride trihydrate tablets 10mg in the 2019 reimbursement scheme for pain treatment of terminal patients. Involved in the scheme of pain treatment of other opioid derivatives and their combinations with non-opioid could significantly improve their side effects and the quality of their life.