Pharmacoepidemiology and drug safety
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Pharmacoepidemiol Drug Saf · Jun 2015
Opioid analgesic prescribing in Australia: a focus on gender and age.
The use of prescription opioid analgesics has been increasing over the last few decades in Australia. In particular, oxycodone and fentanyl have increased substantially. We examined the gender and age trends in the prescribing of subsidised opioid analgesics in the Australian population for non-palliative care indications. ⋯ Reasons for increased use may include increased prevalence of people with cancer and use for acute pain. The overall benefit and risk in this escalation of opioid use are difficult to determine; however, the increasing risk of tolerance, dependence, overdose and drug diversion suggests to clinicians and policy makers that this escalation may not be in the best interest of all Australians.