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Also known as narcotic analgesics, opiates have been used for pain management for thousands of years. Opiates are naturally occurring in the poppy seed. The term "opioid" refers to the opiates plus the synthetic drugs with opiate qualities. Opioids are a major class of analgesics acting directly on the central nervous system to relieve pain. They are often used because of their effectiveness, ease of titration and favorable risk-to-benefit ratio. Used alone or adjunctively with other medications (many times at lower doses), opioid analgesics can effectively treat a variety of painful conditions, both acute and chronic. The most significant adverse effect of opioids is the tendency of the body to habituate to the effects, thus requiring higher doses over time.
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