Articles: opioid.
-
Pediatr Crit Care Me · May 2022
Opioid Weaning Protocol Using Morphine Compared With Nonprotocolized Methadone Associated With Decreased Dose and Duration of Opioid After Norwood Procedure.
Opioids are used to manage pain, comfort, maintain devices, and decrease oxygen consumption around Norwood palliation (NP), but in high dose and prolonged exposure, they increase risk of tolerance and iatrogenic withdrawal syndrome (IAWS). Variability in practice for IAWS prevention potentially increases opioid dose and duration. We hypothesize that protocolized weaning with morphine (MOR) versus nonprotocolized methadone (MTD) is associated with reduction in opioid exposure. ⋯ After complex NP, a protocolized opioid weaning using MOR versus MTD is associated with 65% shorter opioid duration, 10-fold decreased dose, and shortened LOS.
-
Editorial
Champions Among Us: Leading Primary Care to the Forefront of Opioid Use Disorder Treatment.
Despite more than a decade of investment in opioid use disorder (OUD) treatment infrastructure, the year 2020 saw the highest mortality related to opioid overdose in American history. Treatment access remains critically limited, with less than half of people living with OUD receiving any treatment. ⋯ The "clinical champions" framework is a tool that has shown promise in creating the type of mentorship and culture change necessary to expand uptake of medication-based OUD treatment among primary care providers. The early success of this model and the increased availability of tools for broad implementation warrant further investment as a means of leading primary care into a larger role in combatting the opioid addiction epidemic.