ABSTRACT
When we use haloperidol (HP) parenterally to treat delirium in cancer patients, sometimes akathisia appears. So, we are pressed to give treat this symptom. The aim of this study was to investigate the occurrence rate of akathisia after HP injection and the effectiveness of biperiden injection in the treatment of akathisia. We retrospectively worked out the rate of the use of Hp injection, the rate of the occurrence of akathisia by using Hp and the effectiveness of biperiden injection in the treatment for delirium in 67 patients out of 100 patients who died in the palliative care unit (PCU) and 10 patients with delirium out of 23 patients who were under care of our palliative care team (PCT) in the sections other than the PCU from August to December of 2012. In the PCU, Hp injections were used in 52 patients (78%) out of 67 with delirium, and akathisia was suspected in 23 patients. Biperiden was injected into all of them and it was effective in 21 patients (91%). Our palliative care team gave Hp injections to seven patients (70%) out of 10 with delirium, and akathisia was suspected in one patient. At that time Hp injection was suspended but biperiden was not used. To sum up, Hp was administered to a total of 59 patients (76%) out of 77 with delirium, and akathisia was suspected in 24 patients (40%). Biperiden was used in 23 patients, all of whom were PCU patients, and effective in 21 (91%). When Hp was used to treat cancer patients with delirium, the onset of akathisia was suspected in 40% of them, but biperiden was considerably beneficial in patients with delirium.
ABSTRACT
<b>Objective：</b>The previous study was to develop the“Itamikei”, a small machine which patients can use to record their subjective level of pain. And new assessment tool“Tablet PC application for Pain Memory”, which enable the user to visualize and record the pain levels both instantly and over time. The purpose of this study was to examine the effectiveness of Pain Memory as a pain assessment tool for patients with cancer pain. <b>Method：</b>12 inpatients prescribed analgesics for cancer pain, were instructed to input their pain level into Pain Memory over a 2-week period, and the resulting graph was reviewed by the patient and staff. They also completed a questionnaire evaluating the design, function and pain assessment of the tool. <b>Result：</b>The patients input their pain level into Pain Memory 5.25 times／day（Md）, which provided increased opportunities to ascertain the patient’s pain level compared to that“Itamikei”. The design and function of the Pain Memory were given approximately rate 4 using a 5 point scale by both patients and staff members. Moreover, using Pain Memory, the patients highly rated the parameter“I understood changes in pain”, and the staff members highly rated the parameter“Patients participating in the treatment of pain”.<b> Conclusion：</b>We found Pain Memory could be useful in the assessment of pain. It provided more opportunities to ascertain the pain level of patients, and enabled the visualization of the pain level through a graph.