Myths and facts about long-acting opioids in chronic pain: a multidisciplinary analysis.

Opioid analgesics have well-established efficacy in controlling chronic pain and improving patients' mood, function, and quality of life. Despite this, these agents continue to be underused in patients with moderate to severe pain who require almost continuous pain relief. This symposium reviewed evidence about opioid analgesics, presented methods of minimizing their adverse effects, and discussed dosing strategies for providing continuous, effective pain relief.