Preventing Misuse of Prescription Opioid Drugs
In this issue:
- Physicians and dentists can play a major role in reducing risks associated with opioid analgesics, particularly fatal drug overdose.
- For acute pain:
- If opioids are warranted, prescribe only short-acting agents.
- A 3-day supply is usually sufficient.
- For chronic noncancer pain:
- Avoid prescribing opioids unless other approaches to analgesia have been demonstrated to be ineffective.
- Avoid whenever possible prescribing opioids in patients taking benzodiazepines because of the risk of fatal respiratory depression.