Inherited Patients Taking Opioids for Chronic Pain — Considerations for Primary Care

 

Among patients who have their long-term opioid therapy discontinued or tapered, there is an increased risk of illicit opioid use (Panel A), a high incidence of emergency department visits and opioid-related hospitalizations (Panel B), an increased incidence of mental health crises and overdose events (Panel C), and an increased risk of death from suicide or overdose (Panel D). 𝙸 bars in Panel C indicate 95% confidence intervals. Data are from Coffin et al.,2 Mark and Parish,3 Agnoli et al.,4 and Oliva et al.5

https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMp2115244

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