Articles: opioid-analgesics.
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Multicenter Study
Temporal Factors Associated With Opioid Prescriptions for Patients With Pain Conditions in an Urban Emergency Department.
Opioid prescriptions for treatment of pain in emergency departments (EDs) are associated with long-term opioid use. The temporal pattern of opioid prescribing in the context of the opioid epidemic remains unknown. ⋯ There was a substantial temporal decrease in the number of opioid prescriptions within this ED during the study period. This decrease was associated with substantial relative reductions in opioid prescribing for treatment of musculoskeletal pain compared with fractures and kidney stones.
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Although there are many pharmacologic alternatives to opioids, it is unclear whether the structure of Medicare Part D formularies discourages use of the alternatives. ⋯ Lack of Medicare coverage for pharmacologic alternatives to opioids may be associated with increased opioid prescribing.
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Surgery is a known gateway to opioid use that may result in long-term morbidity. Given the paucity of evidence regarding the appropriate amount of postoperative opioid analgesia and variable prescribing education, we investigated prescribing habits before and after institution of a multimodal postoperative pain management protocol. ⋯ Appropriate preoperative counseling and utilization of nonopioid analgesics can dramatically reduce opioid use while maintaining high patient satisfaction. Patient-reported data suggest that even greater reductions may be possible.
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J Pain Symptom Manage · Mar 2020
When patients take charge of opioids: Self-management concerns and practices among cancer outpatients in the context of opioid crisis.
With concerns about opioid prescribing practices prominent in the professional and lay literature, there is less focus on patients' self-management of opioids for cancer pain and potential safety risks. ⋯ Risks related to self-management of opioids among cancer outpatients, including potential overdose risks, need urgent attention. Interventions are needed for improving clinician-patient communication, patient education, safety, and access to effective nonopioid alternatives.
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Randomized Controlled Trial
Influence of St. John's Wort on Intravenous Fentanyl Pharmacokinetics, Pharmacodynamics, and Clinical Effects: A Randomized Clinical Trial.
Patients often use complementary and alternative herbal medicines, hence, potential exists for adverse herb-drug interactions. Fentanyl is metabolized by hepatic CYP3A4 and considered transported by blood-brain barrier P-glycoprotein. Both disposition processes could be upregulated by the herbal St. John's wort. This investigation evaluated effects of St. John's wort on fixed-dose and apparent steady-state IV fentanyl pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics, and clinical effects. ⋯ St. John's wort did not alter fentanyl pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics or clinical effects, suggesting no effect on hepatic clearance or blood-brain barrier efflux. Patients taking St. John's wort will likely not respond differently to IV fentanyl for anesthesia or analgesia.