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 - Publisher Copyright: © 2022, The Author(s).
PY - 2022/7/1
Y1 - 2022/7/1
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. Summary: 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. Summary: 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.
KW - Blood glucose
KW - Diabetes mellitus
KW - Hyperglycaemia
KW - Obesity
KW - Opioids
KW - β-endorphin
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85130216860&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - https://doi.org/10.1007/s11892-022-01473-0
DO - https://doi.org/10.1007/s11892-022-01473-0
M3 - Review article
C2 - 35593927
SN - 1534-4827
VL - 22
SP - 301
EP - 310
JO - Current Diabetes Reports
JF - Current Diabetes Reports
IS - 7
ER -