Download MAT - Janssen

Dose Adjustment
Dose titration is the key to success with opioid analgesic therapy. The recommended initial
DURAGESIC® MAT dose based upon the daily morphine dose is conservative, and 50% of
patients are likely to require a dose increase after initial application of DURAGESIC® MAT. If
analgesia is insufficient after the initial application, the first dosage increase should occur three
days after application, while all subsequent dosage increases should occur six days following the
previous application.
U
Initial Dosage Increase: The initial DURAGESIC® MAT dosage may be increased after 3
days based on the daily dose of supplemental analgesics required by the patients in the
second or third day of the initial application.
U
U
All Other Dosage Increases: Physicians are advised that it may take up to 6 days after
increasing the dose of DURAGESIC® MAT for the patient to reach equilibrium on the new
dose. Therefore, patients should wear a higher dose through two applications before any
further increase in dosage is made on the basis of the average daily use of a supplemental
analgesic.
U
U
Titration Dose Increment: Dosage of DURAGESIC® MAT must be individualized
according to the pain relief and tolerance of the patient. Appropriate dosage increments
should be based on the daily dose of supplementary opioids, using the ratio of 45–59 mg/24
hours of oral morphine to a 12 mcg/h increase in DURAGESIC® MAT dose. For example,
if at the end of the required 6-day duration with a new patch strength, a patient is
consuming an average daily dose of 150 mg of oral morphine, then the recommended
DURAGESIC® MAT dose increase would be 3x12 mcg/h, which can be achieved by three
12 mcg/h patches, or one of 25 mcg/h and one of 12 mcg/h. The use of 12 mcg/h in the ratio
for calculation of DURAGESIC® MAT dose increases allows for achieving smaller
increments when needed, i.e., increments that are as close as possible to the actual average
amount of supplementary oral morphine. Some patients may continue to require periodic
supplemental doses of short-acting analgesic for “breakthrough” pain.
U
U
Maintenance
The majority of patients are adequately maintained with DURAGESIC® MAT administered
every 72 hours. A small number of patients may not achieve adequate analgesia using this
dosing interval and may require systems to be applied every 48 hours rather than every 72 hours.
If breakthrough pain repeatedly occurs at the end of the dosing interval, it is generally an
indication for a dosage increase rather than more frequent administration. An increase in the
DURAGESIC® MAT dose should be considered before changing dosing intervals in order to
maintain patients on a 72-hour regimen.
U
Some patients may require additional or alternative methods of opioid administration when the
DURAGESIC® MAT dose exceeds 300 mcg/h.
Decreased Dosing or Discontinuation of DURAGESIC® MAT
Following the successful relief of severe pain, periodic attempts should be made to reduce the
opioid dose. Lower doses or complete discontinuation of the opioid analgesic may become
feasible due to physiological change or improved mental state of the patient.
U
DURM08052014CPM2_NC
Page 21 of 51