TY - JOUR
KW - Analgesics, Opioid/administration & dosage
KW - Humans
KW - Opioid-Related Disorders/diagnosis/prevention & control
KW - Pain/drug therapy
KW - Patient Selection
KW - Practice Patterns, Physicians'
KW - Primary Health Care
KW - Referral and Consultation
KW - Risk Assessment
KW - Risk Factors
KW - United States
AU - J. A. Gudin
A1 - 
AB - Prescription opioid analgesic therapy can be effective in managing chronic noncancer pain in appropriately selected patients. However, the risks and benefits of prescription opioids should be carefully considered when treating this patient population. A dramatic increase in opioid-related morbidity and mortality has been observed in the United States in the past decade. Therefore, health care providers must balance the treatment of chronic pain with the need to minimize the risks of opioid misuse, abuse, addiction, and diversion. Current literature suggests that most patients with chronic pain are managed at the primary care level. However, many of these practitioners are not skilled in risk assessment, stratification, and monitoring. This article reviews strategies and tools that providers may implement to help identify appropriate patients for chronic opioid therapy and recognize signs of drug-related aberrant behaviors and abuse. In addition, the potential role of abuse-deterrent, extended-release opioid formulations to reduce risk in patients and nonmedical users of opioids is introduced. Collectively, these preventative measures may effectively reduce opioid misuse, abuse, and diversion without denying adequate analgesia in appropriate patients.
BT - Postgraduate medicine
C5 - Opioids & Substance Use; Education & Workforce
CP - 3
CY - England
DO - 10.3810/pgm.2012.05.2556
IS - 3
JF - Postgraduate medicine
N2 - Prescription opioid analgesic therapy can be effective in managing chronic noncancer pain in appropriately selected patients. However, the risks and benefits of prescription opioids should be carefully considered when treating this patient population. A dramatic increase in opioid-related morbidity and mortality has been observed in the United States in the past decade. Therefore, health care providers must balance the treatment of chronic pain with the need to minimize the risks of opioid misuse, abuse, addiction, and diversion. Current literature suggests that most patients with chronic pain are managed at the primary care level. However, many of these practitioners are not skilled in risk assessment, stratification, and monitoring. This article reviews strategies and tools that providers may implement to help identify appropriate patients for chronic opioid therapy and recognize signs of drug-related aberrant behaviors and abuse. In addition, the potential role of abuse-deterrent, extended-release opioid formulations to reduce risk in patients and nonmedical users of opioids is introduced. Collectively, these preventative measures may effectively reduce opioid misuse, abuse, and diversion without denying adequate analgesia in appropriate patients.
PP - England
PY - 2012
SN - 1941-9260; 0032-5481
SP - 131
EP - 138
EP - 
T1 - Clinical strategies for the primary health care professional to minimize prescription opioid abuse
T2 - Postgraduate medicine
TI - Clinical strategies for the primary health care professional to minimize prescription opioid abuse
U1 - Opioids & Substance Use; Education & Workforce
U2 - 22691907
U3 - 10.3810/pgm.2012.05.2556
VL - 124
VO - 1941-9260; 0032-5481
Y1 - 2012
ER -