Does Opioid Cause Erectile Dysfunction And Infertility?
How Long Non-Cancer Pain Can Last?
Non-cancer chronic pain may last for several years. Opioid causes hypogonadism in male and female patients.
What is Hypogonadism?
What Is The Gonadal Hormonal Deficiency?
Gonadal hormonal deficiency is same as hypogonadism or OPIAD syndrome.
What is OPIAD Syndrome?
What is Male Hypogonadism?
What are the Symptoms of Opioid Induced Hormonal Deficiencies In Female?
Hormonal deficiency in female results in menstrual abnormalities, decreased menstrual flow, infertility, and cognitive symptoms such as mood changes, anxiety, and depression.3 These symptoms are often observed among women who are taking opioids for prolonged period of time.3
What Triggers a Low Testosterone?
Low testosterone level is more often seen in long acting opioids than short acting opioids. Deficiency of gonadotropins like follicle stimulating hormone and luteinizing hormone causes inadequate production of testosterone sex hormones in men.
What is the Normal Testosterone Level in Male?
Normal testosterone levels in young healthy male patient is about 300 and 800 nanograms per deciliter (ng/dL).
What is the Testosterone Level in Male Hypogonadism?
Patient is considered suffering with hypogonadism or low testosterone disease when level of testosterone is below 200 ng/dL.
Are Erectile Dysfunction and Other Sexual Dysfunctions Common in Opioid Treatment?
What are the Symptoms of Male Hypogonadism?
- Cognitive Symptoms – Mood Changes, Anxiety and Depression.
- Decreased Libido or Lack of Sexual Drive.
- Male and Female Infertility.
- Erectile Dysfunction.5
- Hypotonic Muscle Mass.
- Fatigue.
- Hot Flashes.
What are the Physical Findings or Signs of Hypogonadism?
- Reduced facial and body hair.
- Anemia
- Decreased muscle mass.
- Weight gain
- Osteopenia or osteoporosis
- Erectile dysfunction in Male.
- Infertility in male and female.
Is Osteopenia and Osteoporosis Reversible if Opioid Treatment is Discontinued?
Untreated hypogonadism may lead to severe bone diseases like osteoporosis or osteopenia. Opioid induced androgen deficiency (OPIAD) is becoming increasingly prevalent among chronic opioid consumers, but often goes unrecognized. Osteopenia and osteoporosis is reversible if recognized earlier and treated.
What is the Treatment for Opioid Induced Low Testosterone?
The study published in the Journal of Pain by Daniel H.W in the year 2006 suggests testosterone patch was effective in treating opioid induced testosterone deficiency. Patients were treated with initial dosage of testosterone patch of 5 mg/day for first 12 weeks and increased to 7.5 mg for next 12 weeks. The testosterone patches were generally well tolerated. Testosterone patch therapy at a dose of 7.5 mg/day normalizes hormone levels and appears to improve a number of quality of life parameters (e.g., sexual function, well-being, mood) in men with opioid induced androgen deficiency (OPIAD).
What is the Treatment of Opioid Induced Female Hypogonadism?
Opioid induced androgen deficiency syndrome (OPIAD Syndrome) is diagnosed after multiple blood biochemical studies and treatment is androgen replacement therapy. Options of treatment include testosterone preparations for males and dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) supplementation for females.
How is Testosterone Prescribed?
- Opioid-induced androgen deficiency (OPIAD). Smith HS, Elliott JA. Pain Physician. 2012 Jul;15(3 Suppl):ES145-56. Albany Medical College, Albany, NY, USA.
- Opioid analgesics suppress male gonadal function but opioid use in males and females does not correlate with symptoms of sexual dysfunction. Wong D, Gray DP, Simmonds M, Rashiq S, Sobolev I, Morrish DW. Pain Res Manag. 2011 Sep-Oct;16(5):311-6. Department of Medicine, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.
- Opioid endocrinopathy in women consuming prescribed sustained-action opioids for control of nonmalignant pain. Daniell HW. J Pain. 2008 Jan;9(1):28-36. Epub 2007 Nov 1. Department of Family Practice, University of California Davis Medical School, Redding, California, USA.
- Opioid endocrinopathy in women consuming prescribed sustained-action opioids for control of nonmalignant pain. Daniell HW. J Pain. 2008 Jan;9(1):28-36. Epub 2007 Nov 1. Department of Family Practice, University of California Davis Medical School, Redding, California, USA.
- Erectile dysfunction in opioid users: lack of association with serum testosterone. Cioe PA, Friedmann PD, Stein MD. J Addict Dis. 2010 Oct;29(4):455-60. doi: 10.1080/10550887.2010.509279. Rhode Island Hospital, Providence, RI, USA.
- Open-label pilot study of testosterone patch therapy in men with opioid-induced androgen deficiency. Daniell HW, Lentz R, Mazer NA. J Pain. 2006 Mar;7(3):200-10. Department of Family Practice, University of California Davis Medical School, Redding, California, USA.
Also Read:
- Know the Causes of Temporary Impotence & Ways to Overcome it?
- Priapism (Ischemic & Nonischemic): Causes, Symptoms, Diagnosis, Treatment, Prevention
