Low use of opioid risk reduction strategies in primary care even for high risk patients with chronic pain.

ABSTRACT:

Background/objective

Experts recommend close oversight of patients receiving opioid analgesics for chronic non-cancer pain (CNCP), especially those at increased risk of misuse. We hypothesized that physicians employ opioid risk reduction strategies more frequently in higher risk patients.

Design

Retrospective cohort using electronic medical records.

Participants

Patients on long-term opioids (≥3 monthly prescriptions in 6 months) treated for CNCP in eight primary care practices.

Methods

We examined three risk reduction strategies: (1) any urine drug test; (2) regular office visits (at least once per 6 months and within 30 days of modifying opioid treatment); and (3) restricted early refills (one or fewer opioid refills more than a week early). Risk factors for

SUBMITTER: Starrels JL 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3157518 | biostudies-literature | 2011 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature