A 69-year-old man with metastatic prostate cancer is on regular oral Morphine 60 mg four times daily. He is no longer able to swallow medications. Wha...

Question

A 69-year-old man with metastatic prostate cancer is on regular oral Morphine 60 mg four times daily. He is no longer able to swallow medications. What is the most appropriate way to convert his Morphine to a continuous subcutaneous infusion over 24 hours?

Accepted Answer

Halve the total daily oral dose and give that as a 24-hour subcutaneous infusion

Answer

Stop Morphine and start Tramadol

Answer

Use the same total daily dose of Morphine given subcutaneously over 24 hours

Answer

Double the total daily oral dose subcutaneously

Answer

Change to Fentanyl patch only without considering dose equivalence

uk-plab-1 MCQ (SBA): Opioid conversion – oral to subcutaneous Morphine

A 69-year-old man with metastatic prostate cancer is on regular oral Morphine 60 mg four times daily. He is no longer able to swallow medications. What is the most appropriate way to convert his Morphine to a continuous subcutaneous infusion over 24 hours?