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How to Maximize Patient Safety When Prescribing Opioids
Author(s) -
Kirpalani Dhiruj
Publication year - 2015
Publication title -
pmandr
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.617
H-Index - 66
eISSN - 1934-1563
pISSN - 1934-1482
DOI - 10.1016/j.pmrj.2015.08.016
Subject(s) - medicine , chronic pain , opioid , scope (computer science) , opioid epidemic , intensive care medicine , pain management , patient safety , health care , medline , psychiatry , physical therapy , receptor , computer science , economic growth , political science , law , economics , programming language
Opioid prescribing and deaths in the United States have increased exponentially in the past couple of decades. This increase has occurred amidst growing awareness of the lack of long‐term efficacy of opioids, as well as the significant long‐ and short‐term risks associated with these medications. The scope of the opioid epidemic has led to the development of extensive clinical screening and monitoring tools recommended for health care providers who prescribe opioids to patients for chronic nonmalignant pain. The purpose of this review is to summarize the latest guidelines and evidence that will assist in maximizing patient safety while using chronic opioid therapy as part of pain management.