JAMA : the journal of the American Medical Association
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Among adults with chronic illness, 30% to 50% of medications are not taken as prescribed. In the United States, it is estimated that medication nonadherence is associated with 125 000 deaths, 10% of hospitalizations, and $100 billion in health care services annually. ⋯ Adherence can be assessed and improved within the context of usual clinical care, but more intensive and costly interventions that have demonstrated success will require additional investments by health systems.
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Meta Analysis Comparative Study
Opioids for Chronic Noncancer Pain: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.
Harms and benefits of opioids for chronic noncancer pain remain unclear. ⋯ In this meta-analysis of RCTs of patients with chronic noncancer pain, evidence from high-quality studies showed that opioid use was associated with statistically significant but small improvements in pain and physical functioning, and increased risk of vomiting compared with placebo. Comparisons of opioids with nonopioid alternatives suggested that the benefit for pain and functioning may be similar, although the evidence was from studies of only low to moderate quality.