Drug tolerance is defined as the body becoming accustomed to an opioid and needing larger doses to produce the same analgesia.

Drug tolerance is defined as the body becoming accustomed to an opioid and needing larger doses to produce the same analgesia.

• A. The body becomes accustomed to opioid and needs larger doses to produce the same analgesia
• B. The body becomes less tolerant over time
• C. The body becomes more sensitive to opioids
• D. The body develops dependence only after long usage

Answer: (A)

Tolerance is the body's adaptation to repeated opioid exposure, resulting in a diminished analgesic effect and the need for higher doses to achieve the same relief. This occurs through both receptor-level changes (such as desensitization and downregulation) and changes in how the drug is processed in the body. Because of this, escalating doses may be required to maintain pain control, which also raises the risk of adverse effects like respiratory depression, so careful assessment and management are essential. The idea that the body becomes less tolerant or more sensitive contradicts this concept, and dependence is a separate phenomenon involving withdrawal and neuroadaptations that can occur with long-term use but is not the same as tolerance.

Tolerance is the body's adaptation to repeated opioid exposure, resulting in a diminished analgesic effect and the need for higher doses to achieve the same relief. This occurs through both receptor-level changes (such as desensitization and downregulation) and changes in how the drug is processed in the body. Because of this, escalating doses may be required to maintain pain control, which also raises the risk of adverse effects like respiratory depression, so careful assessment and management are essential. The idea that the body becomes less tolerant or more sensitive contradicts this concept, and dependence is a separate phenomenon involving withdrawal and neuroadaptations that can occur with long-term use but is not the same as tolerance.