1. Opioid use higher among unemployed, less educated. A study published in the American Journal of Medicine recently reported that opioid use in patients with fibromyalgia is associated with lower education, unemployment, disability payments, unstable psychiatric disorders and a history of substance abuse. The research charts 457 patients who were referred to a multidisciplinary fibromyalgia clinic and nearly one-third of those referred were recorded using opioids. Of those using opioids, more than two thirds were recorded as using strong opioids.
2. Opioids can cause pneumonia in older adults. A group of researchers at Group Health Research Institute and the University of Washington recently found a link between opioid use and pneumonia in patients aged 65-94. The researchers measured whether people with pneumonia were more likely to have taken opioids or benzodiazepines before contracting the illness. Nearly 14 percent of the patients with pneumonia had taken opioids, compared with the 8.4 percent that had taken benzodiazepines. Of the patients in a control group that did not have pneumonia, 8 percent had taken opioids while 4.6 percent had taken benzodiazepines. Patients were three times more likely to develop pneumonia within the first 14 days of taking opioids.
3. Individualize care plans for chronic pain patients when administering opioids. A panel appointed by the American Society for Pain Management Nursing has made recommendations for opioid analgesics. The panel says individualized care plans, safe administration of pain drugs and appropriate monitoring practices can avoid adverse events in chronic pain patients. The panel also noted that combining analgesics to target different causes of pain requires more aggressive assessment and monitoring.
4. Chronic pain patients likely to take opioids for several years. More than half of patients who are initially prescribed opioids for chronic pain are likely to still be taking them five years later. According to a study done at the University of Arkansas and University of Washington, many patients are still taking opioids for years after the initial prescription is made. The patients most likely to continue using opioids more than 90 days are those who had been exposed to the drug before and patients prescribed doses of higher than 120 milligrams of morphine.
5. Opioids affect sleeping patterns. According to a report published in Postgraduate Medicine, opioids used in pain management can have a significant impact on sleep patterns. A literature review linked opioid use with increased arousals and wakefulness, temporary absence of REM sleep and significant insomnia. There were varied affects when the opioids were used short term and for chronic maintenance.
6. Wounded soldiers likely to receive opioids. According to a report issued by the U.S. House Appropriations Committee, 14 percent of U.S. soldiers have been prescribed an opioid painkiller, with oxycodone accounting for 95 percent of the prescriptions. The report showed that 25-35 percent of wounded soldiers become addicted to prescription or illegal drugs while awaiting medical discharge. The military recently began looking at alternative pain management techniques, such as acupuncture or interventional pain management, for affected soldiers.
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