Drug and alcohol dependence
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Drug Alcohol Depend · Sep 2017
Multicenter Study Observational StudyA retrospective review of unintentional opioid overdose risk and mitigating factors among acutely injured trauma patients.
Opioid medication to treat acutely injured patients is usual care in trauma settings. A higher prevalence of alcohol and other substance misuse in this population compared to the general population increases the vulnerability of such patients to both misuse of their prescribed opioids, and also unintentional opioid overdose. The primary purpose of this study was to assess the prevalence of substance use and unintentional opioid overdose risk among acutely injured trauma patients, and to examine the frequency and predictors of high opioid dose at discharge. ⋯ Our results indicate that despite the high rates of substance misuse, the potential for misuse, dependence and unintentional overdose risk from prescribed opioid medications are prevalent among acutely injured trauma patients. Prescribing after acute trauma care should address these risk factors.