Dictionary of Cancer Terms
View in Spanish: Opioide de efecto rápido
Rapid-onset opioid (… OH-pee-OYD)
A substance that acts quickly to treat moderate to severe pain. Opioids are like opiates, such as morphine and codeine, but are not made from opium. Opioids bind to opioid receptors in the central nervous system. A rapid-onset opioid is a type of alkaloid.
Source: National Cancer Institute Dictionary of Cancer Terms, available at www.cancer.gov/dictionary.