CEACCP: Chronic pain and prescription opioid misuse (Read)

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Key points

• Opioids must only be prescribed after careful physical, psychosocial, and vocational assessment.
• Misuse of prescription opioids can be reduced by good prescribing practice.
• Patients on prescription opioids must be regularly assessed.
• Oral or transdermal route of administration should be used; parenteral, sublingual, or transnasal routes should be avoided.
• Meperidine is particularly unsuitable for patients with persistent pain.
• There are factors that might predict whether a patient is likely to misuse prescription opioids.
• Management of prescription opioid misuse requires prompt intervention and a multidisciplinary approach.