Reasons for Long-term Opioid Prescriptions After Guideline-directed Opioid Prescribing and Excess Opioid Pill Disposal
Authors' conclusion
In a group of prospectively studied opioid-naïve surgical patients discharged with guideline-directed opioid rxs and who achieved high rates of excess opioid disposal, no patients became persistent opioid users solely as a result of the opioid rx given after their index surgery.
Study context
- Population
- Opioid-naïve surgical patients (88% cancer-related surgery) discharged with guideline-directed opioid prescribing and high rate of excess opioid disposal
- Participants
- 221 patients
- Primary endpoint
- Frequency and reasons for long-term opioid prescriptions (3-12 months after surgery)
- Follow-up
- 3 to 12 months after surgery
Methodological detailsLong-term opioid rxs identified by Prescription Drug Monitoring Program search; reasons by medical record review
- Long-term opioid rxs identified by Prescription Drug Monitoring Program search; reasons by medical record review
Primary result
As reported in the abstract
Long-term opioid rx filled
- Filled an opioid rx 3 to 12 months after surgery
- 15.3% (34/221)
- Filled an rx 3 to 6 months after surgery
- 5.4%
- Filled an rx 6 to 12 months after surgery
- 12.2%
- Reason: new painful medical condition
- 51%
- Reason: new surgery
- 40%
- Reason: related to the index operation
- 6%
- Opioid rx for a nonspecific reason (patients)
- 1
Further findings
Opioid rx days supply per patient
- Median days supply
- 7 (IQR 5 to 27, range 1 to 447 days)
Persistent opioid use (rx 3 to 12 months after surgery and >60day supply)
- Developed persistent opioid use
- Five patients (2.3%)
- Due to pain from recurrent cancer
- 2
- For new medical conditions
- 2
- For a chronic abscess
- 1
Original publication
Reasons for Long-term Opioid Prescriptions After Guideline-directed Opioid Prescribing and Excess Opioid Pill Disposal. Ann Surg. Published 9 June 2021. doi:10.
Composed by AI from the published abstract and checked against it. How Briefs are made →