OIC = Opioid Induced Constipation

The majority of patients treated with opioid therapy for cancer and non-cancer pain experience opioid-induced constipation (OIC). This condition is not trivial as it affects the patient's quality of life and can lead them to reduce, discontinue, or change effective analgesic therapy. The spectrum of laxative classes currently available do not provide effective results in this setting, primarily because they do not address the mechanisms by which opioids cause OIC. Research advances have improved the understanding of those underlying mechanisms and have resulted in the identification of new pharmacologic agents that target the μ-opioid receptor interaction while maintaining the analgesic benefit of the opioid and minimizing the risk of withdrawal.
http://www.mycme.com/opioid-induced-constipation-oic/section...