Guidelines on acute postoperative pain management

In high-technology countries, the level of care in intensive care units or recovery units is high, whereas on many general wards the standards of acute pain therapy are low. “Standards” are derived from the sources that legitimately set the standards of knowledge and practice in the dominant medical care system. Standards are intended to be applied rigidly and in virtually all cases. Violation should trigger thoughts of malpractice. “Practice guidelines” aim at decreasing inappropriate variations in practice and reducing excessive expenses. They are appropriate for the majority of patients and should be followed in most cases. Guidelines are not intended to function as standards or absolute requirements.