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What finding indicates that a patient has developed opioid tolerance?
The patient needed a substantial dose of naloxone (Narcan).
The patient needs increasingly higher doses of opioid to control pain.
The patient no longer experiences sedation from the usual dose of opioid.
The patient asks for pain medication close to the time it is due around the clock.
The correct answer is: The patient needs increasingly higher doses of opioid to control pain.
The indication that a patient has developed opioid tolerance is reflected by the need for increasingly higher doses of opioids to achieve the same level of pain control. Opioid tolerance occurs when the body's response to the drug diminishes over time, requiring larger amounts of the medication to achieve the desired analgesic effect. This phenomenon can occur with prolonged exposure to opioids due to the body's adaptation to the medication, leading to a decrease in the drug's efficacy. In the context of pain management, recognizing opioid tolerance is crucial for appropriate dose adjustments and managing patient comfort effectively. It highlights the need for ongoing assessment and possibly the incorporation of adjuvant medications or alternative therapies to manage pain effectively, ensuring patient safety and minimizing side effects. Other options, while they may reflect important considerations in the management of opioid therapy, do not directly indicate the development of tolerance as clearly as the need for higher doses does. Therefore, the requirement for escalating dosage serves as the most definitive indicator of opioid tolerance in this scenario.