Running head: Morphine

Morphine
Angela Hulme
Anderson University
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Abstract
Morphine is a well-known pain relieving medication that has been used in healthcare for many

years now. The medication is derived from a poppy plant and is an opioid agonist. Because of

the medications ability to make a person feel good, it has to be closely monitored for addiction.

The medication causes respiratory depression which could be detrimental to patients that have a

history of underlying medical conditions. The use of morphine should be monitored closely by a

physician to ensure that a patient is well educated on the administration of it. It is important that

a patient is aware that they should not suddenly stop taking this medication. The medication can

lead to withdrawal symptoms if it is not correctly reduced in small dosages. Some of the key

reasons that patients use Morphine for is treatment in emergency situations and for chronic pain.

Another common usage of Morphine is for patients on Hospice care. The Morphine has the

ability to ease a patient’s pain quickly, as well as help the death of the patient go smoothly. Due

to its ability to decrease the respiratory system, the administration of Morphine to Hospice

patient eases their ability to breath. Morphine has been a key treatment for many situations. It is

still considered one of the most frequently used medications in healthcare. Its ability to improve

a person’s quality of life makes it very important in healthcare.

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Morphine

Morphine is an opioid (narcotic) analgesic commonly used to relieve pain (Morphine

Oral : Uses, Side Effects, Interactions, Pictures, Warnings & Dosing, n.d.) The formula for

Morphine is C17H19NO3. Some of the trade names are Astramorph, Avinza, Duramorph,

Embeda, Infumorph, Kadian, MS Contin, and Roxanol

(https://www.drugguide.com/ddo/view/Davis-Drug-Guide/51518/all/morphine, n.d.). The brand

name and generic name of this medication is Morphine. The medication works by binding to the

opiate receptors in the central nervous system (https://www.drugguide.com/ddo/view/Davis-

Drug-Guide/51518/all/morphine, n.d.). The functional groups that make up Morphine are phenol,

alcohol, ether, alkene, and amine. When looking at the functional groups of morphine, the amine

functional group is one of the key elements in morphine’s pain relieving abilities. Morphine

originated from the poppy plant and has been used for recreational and medical purposes for

many years (Watch Truth About Drugs Documentary Video & Learn About Substance
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Addiction, n.d.). This medication can affect the central nervous system and gastrointestinal

systems in the following various ways: analgesia, anxiolytic, euphoria, sedation, respiratory

depression, and gastrointestinal system smooth muscle contraction

(https://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/compound/morphine#section=Top, n.d.). The ways that

Morphine can be administered is tablet, capsule, powder, rectal suppository, oral suspension and

solution, and solution for injection; ingested orally, snorted, or injected intravenously (Bennett,

2015).

Morphine is commonly used in situations where people have severe pain, chronic pain,

pulmonary edema, or pain that is caused from a heart attack. When a patient is faced with an

emergent situation, such as pulmonary edema, Morphine is commonly used as treatment

(Agewall, 2017). Morphine can ease the work it takes to breathe. Morphine is often given to

patients that are receiving Hospice care or palliative care in the end stages of life. Morphine

works in the brain to change the way a person feels when they experience pain.

The risk of taking Morphine is that it can be addictive. A person is at higher risk of

becoming addictive if they have a history of polysubstance abuse. The longer a person takes this

medication, the more the body builds up tolerance to the dosage; therefore, it is important to be

aware of the recommended dosage. Morphine causes respiratory depression which makes it

contraindicated for patients with a history of asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

(COPD), co-administration with other CNS depressants, coma, emphysema, hypoxemia, obesity,

pulmonary disease, respiratory depression, respiratory insufficiency, scoliosis, and sleep apnea

(PDR Search, n.d.).

When this medication is used for a long period of time, it can cause withdrawals if a

person sudden stops taking this medication. The withdrawal symptoms a person could
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experience are as follows: restlessness, watering eyes, runny nose, nausea, sweating, muscle

aches (Morphine Oral: Uses, Side Effects, Interactions, Pictures, Warnings & Dosing, n.d.). A

person should consult their physician in order to learn how to slowly decrease the dosage of this

medication.

Conclusion

Morphine is a powerful analgesic that is used to quickly ease pain. Due to the sedative

effects of Morphine, patients should be cautious when taking this medication. Patients should be

educated on administration, contraindications, and withdrawal symptoms. Patients with medical

conditions that suppress their respiratory system, should be monitored closely when taking this

medication. Morphine has been one of the commonly used medications in emergent situations

for a long time. This medication is important to healthcare because its ability to quickly relieve

pain. It is a key medication used in emergency rooms that enables patients to have immediate

relief. As long as Morphine is given correctly, it can help improve a patient’s overall quality of

life.
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References
Agewall, S. (2017). Morphine in acute heart failure. Journal of Thoracic Disease, 9(7), 1851-

1854. doi:10.21037/jtd.2017.06.129

Bennett, A. P. (2015). Morphine. Salem Press Encyclopedia of Health

Morphine. (n.d.). Retrieved February 26, 2018, from

https://www.drugguide.com/ddo/view/Davis-Drug-Guide/51518/all/morphine

Morphine. (n.d.). Retrieved February 26, 2018, from

https://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/compound/morphine#section=Top

Morphine Oral : Uses, Side Effects, Interactions, Pictures, Warnings & Dosing. (n.d.). Retrieved

February 26, 2018, from https://www.webmd.com/drugs/2/drug-327-819/morphine-

oral/morphine-oral/details

PDR Search. (n.d.). Retrieved February 27, 2018, from http://www.pdr.net/drug-

summary/Morphine-Sulfate-Oral-Solution-morphine-sulfate-1228.8394

Watch Truth About Drugs Documentary Video & Learn About Substance Addiction. Get The

Facts About Painkillers, Marijuana, Cocaine, Meth & Other Illegal Drugs. (n.d.).

Retrieved February 26, 2018, from

http://www.drugfreeworld.org/drugfacts/painkillers/a-short-history.html