Articles: opioid.
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Anesthesia and analgesia · Sep 2023
Caring for Our Patients With Opioid Use Disorder in the Perioperative Period: A Guide for the Anesthesiologist.
Opioid use disorder (OUD) is a rising public health crisis, impacting millions of individuals and families worldwide. Anesthesiologists can play a key role in improving morbidity and mortality around the time of surgery by informing perioperative teams and guiding evidence-based care and access to life-saving treatment for patients with active OUD or in recovery. ⋯ The article concludes with a stepwise approach for the anesthesiologist to support OUD treatment and recovery. The anesthesiologist is an important leader of the perioperative team to promote these suggested best practices and help save lives.
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National guidelines for rational opioid prescribing for acute postoperative pain are needed to optimise postoperative pain control and function whilst minimising opioid-related harm. ⋯ The consensus papers provide guidance and recommendations based on the consensus of expert opinion that is based on the best available evidence. However, there is a lack of evidence supporting many of these consensus statements. Efforts to further analyse interventions that aim to reduce the rates of opioid prescribing and their adverse effects should therefore continue.