Journal of general internal medicine
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Comparative Study
Relationship of opioid use and dosage levels to fractures in older chronic pain patients.
Opioids have been linked to increased risk of fractures, but little is known about how opioid dose affects fracture risk. ⋯ Higher doses (>or=50 mg/day) of opioids for chronic non-cancer pain were associated with a 2.00 increase in risk of fracture confirmed by medical record review. Clinicians should consider fracture risk when prescribing higher-dose opioid therapy for older adults.
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Renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system (RAAS) inhibitors are associated with hyperkalemia, but there is little evidence demonstrating patients who receive potassium monitoring have a lower rate of hyperkalemia. ⋯ Patients prescribed RAAS inhibitors who have both diabetes and chronic kidney disease and receive potassium monitoring are less likely to experience a serious hyperkalemia-associated adverse event compared to similar patients who did not receive potassium monitoring. This evidence supports existing consensus-based guidelines.