European journal of anaesthesiology
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Surgery is an indication for opioid prescription in noncancer patients, and chronic use of opioids is associated with overdose and abuse. ⋯ About 8.1% of noncancer patients who had undergone surgery and were prescribed noninjectable opioids became chronic opioid users in Korea. Identified risk factors could be used to derive strategies for safe opioid use in noncancer patients in the future.