[Curses or blessings? Opioids in non cancer chronic pain].

In the last ten years opioid prescription has increased considerably. It is not that cancer patients would receive more analgesics, but it rather can be traced to a rising use of opioids for non cancer chronic pain (NCCP). There is evidence that serious opioid overuse may be present. Why should NCCP patients not benefit from opioid therapy and which side effects would justify to deprive NCCP patients of these strong analgesics? Our article summarizes the current discussion on opioid use in NCCP and outlines current evidence.