Minerva anestesiologica
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Minerva anestesiologica · Aug 2013
Trends in opioid analgesics sales to community pharmacies and hospitals in Italy (2000-2010).
Opioid consumption data in Italy have been widely studied. However, only aggregate data can be found in the published literature, and differences are expected by distribution setting (community pharmacies and hospitals). The aim of our paper is to analyse opioids sales trends in Italy in the decade 2000-2010, in an effort to explore such differences. ⋯ Data suggest that morphine is no more the opioid of first choice for severe pain in Italy, at least for outpatients. This is contradicting most international guidelines available in the 2000-2010 decade.