TY - JOUR
T1 - The Clash of Two Epidemics
T2 - the Relationship Between Opioids and Glucose Metabolism
AU - Koekkoek, Laura L
AU - van der Gun, Luna L
AU - Serlie, Mireille J
AU - la Fleur, Susanne E
N1 - © 2022. The Author(s).
PY - 2022/5/20
Y1 - 2022/5/20
N2 - PURPOSE OF REVIEW: We are currently in the midst of a global opioid epidemic. Opioids affect many physiological processes, but one side effect that is not often taken into consideration is the opioid-induced alteration in blood glucose levels.RECENT FINDINGS: This review shows that the vast majority of studies report that opioid stimulation increases blood glucose levels. In addition, plasma levels of the endogenous opioid β-endorphin rise in response to low blood glucose. In contrast, in hyperglycaemic baseline conditions such as in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), opioid stimulation lowers blood glucose levels. Furthermore, obesity itself alters sensitivity to opioids, changes opioid receptor expression and increases plasma β-endorphin levels. Thus, opioid stimulation can have various side effects on glycaemia that should be taken into consideration upon prescribing opioid-based medication, and more research is needed to unravel the interaction between obesity, glycaemia and opioid use.
AB - PURPOSE OF REVIEW: We are currently in the midst of a global opioid epidemic. Opioids affect many physiological processes, but one side effect that is not often taken into consideration is the opioid-induced alteration in blood glucose levels.RECENT FINDINGS: This review shows that the vast majority of studies report that opioid stimulation increases blood glucose levels. In addition, plasma levels of the endogenous opioid β-endorphin rise in response to low blood glucose. In contrast, in hyperglycaemic baseline conditions such as in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), opioid stimulation lowers blood glucose levels. Furthermore, obesity itself alters sensitivity to opioids, changes opioid receptor expression and increases plasma β-endorphin levels. Thus, opioid stimulation can have various side effects on glycaemia that should be taken into consideration upon prescribing opioid-based medication, and more research is needed to unravel the interaction between obesity, glycaemia and opioid use.
U2 - 10.1007/s11892-022-01473-0
DO - 10.1007/s11892-022-01473-0
M3 - Article
C2 - 35593927
JO - Current Diabetes Reports
JF - Current Diabetes Reports
SN - 1534-4827
ER -