Cross-sectional study of rapid tapering of opioid prescriptions following medical regulatory intervention in Alberta from 2013 to 2020.

ABSTRACT:

Objective

To determine if inappropriate tapering/discontinuation of opioids to Alberta patients occurred from mid-2013-2020, as unintended consequences of prescribing guidelines, regulations and policies in response to the North American opioid crisis.

Design

A population-based, repeated cross-sectional time-series study.

Setting

Alberta, Canada.

Participants

Residents of Alberta, Canada aged 18 and older who received an opioid dispense from a community pharmacy from 2013 to 2020.

Main outcome measures

The prevalence of potential rapid tapering was measured at a given date (reference day), enveloped by a data window. Dose changes were measured as oral morphine equivalents (OME) per patient, at multiple time points ('data window' around a reference day).

SUBMITTER: Hernandez-Ceron N 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10603432 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature