What it means
Drug tolerance is common with opioids, benzodiazepines and alcohol. It is an expected body change and is not the same as addictionuh-DIK-shunA long-term condition in which a person keeps using a substance or doing a behavior despite the harm it causes.Full entry . The word is also used for how well a client copes with something: activity tolerance is how much activity they can do before becoming tired or short of breath, and diet tolerance is how well they keep down food.
For the nurse
A client on long-term opioids may need higher doses for pain; treat the pain and do not judge. For activity tolerance, check vital signs and symptoms before, during and after activity.
In a chart
"Tolerated clear liquids without nausea; ambulated 50 feet with mild shortness of breath, SpO2 94%."
At a glance
| Spanish | tolerancia |
|---|
Related terms
opioid analgesic
A strong drug that relieves moderate to severe pain by acting on the brain and spinal cord.
withdrawal
The physical and mental symptoms that occur when a person stops or cuts down a substance the body has come to depend on.
substance use disorder
A condition in which a person keeps using alcohol or another drug even though it is causing them harm.
addiction
A long-term condition in which a person keeps using a substance or doing a behavior despite the harm it causes.