Breakthrough Pain

Does the patient have transitory episodes of pain that are moderate to marked in intensity

Is the patient receiving analgesia that normally provides a reasonable degree of pain relief?

• an inadequate dose of the baseline pain medication?

• an association with the end of the dosing interval?

• that the patient is attempting to obtain more pain medication in order to abuse it?

Are there episodes of breakthrough pain that are predictable?

Are there episodes of breakthrough pain that are not predictable?

Usual number of breakthrough episodes per day