Moderate, long-term use of opioid pain medications such as morphine does not impair a person's driving ability, U.S. researchers report. The findings suggest that patients who require long-term pain medication may "become tolerant" to side effects that could potentially impair function, said researcher Dr. Asokumar Buvanendran, an associate professor in the anesthesiology department at Rush.
Opioid pain relievers carry warning labels urging patients not to drive or operate heavy machinery while taking the medications, and drivers under the influence of pain drugs are typically subject to the same laws and penalties as people who drink and drive.
According to Buvanendran, this study's findings suggest that patients on long-term pain medication may be able to live "like normal functioning people, without the stigma and limitations now associated with long-term pain medication use."
source: Yahoo Health Day
