Journal of opioid management
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The management of post-operative pain and high levels of acute and chronic opioid use following total knee arthroplasty (TKA) and total hip arthroplasty (THA) remain challenges to the perioperative team. We performed a system-atic review and meta-analysis to determine the opioid sparing effects, analgesic effects, and safety profile of perioperative gabapentinoid usage in lower limb arthroplasty. ⋯ The addition of gabapentinoids to perioperative multimodal analgesia decreases opioid consumption fol-lowing lower limb arthroplasty, while also lowering rates of nausea, vomiting, and pruritus. Further study is required to evaluate the effect of gabapentinoid use on long-term opioid use and dependence.
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Availability and access to opioid agonist treatment (OAT) are limited despite its evidence of effectiveness in treating opioid use disorders (OUDs). COVID-19 pandemic has inadvertently exacerbated the problems of restricted access to OAT and, at the same time, has increased odds of harm due to opioid use. ⋯ Newer adaptations to meet with the challenges of COVID-19 pandemic in the BPN-based OAT delivery tend to be innovative, flexible, and patient centered. Although it is too early to comment on these newer adaptations' impact, the outcome's directions appear to be positive.
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The opioid epidemic is a public health crisis in the United States (US) and is associated with devastating consequences, including opioid misuse and related overdose. In response to the opioid crisis, the US Department of Health and Human Services is advancing improved practices in pain management. Strategies to help mitigate opioid risks include physician safety programs, hospital- or practice-based initiatives, patient education, and harm reduction campaigns that include the use of naloxone. To date, little information is available regarding the use of these strategies among healthcare providers. A survey was conducted to identify the presence of opioid safety initiatives, prescribing patterns of opioids and naloxone, and perceived barriers to prescribing naloxone. The presence of these strategies was compared between different practice types (hospital-based/academic vs. private practice), practice scope (chronic pain vs. "other"), and practice location (in the US vs. outside the US) Regarding "outside the US," the actual geographical distribution of those countries was not captured by respondents. ⋯ While some improvements have been achieved in the fight against the opioid epidemic, our survey results indicate that further knowledge is needed to determine the potential obstacles to implementing opioid safety initiatives, understanding prescribing practices for opioids and naloxone, and lowering the barriers to prescribing naloxone based on practice type, scope, and location.
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The COVID-19 ARDS appears to have worse outcomes than ARDS from other causes. It is a predictable serious complication and the key strategy is to maintain oxygenation. ⋯ Cough and myalgia are the common and most distressing symptoms seen in conscious COVID-19 patients which can impair tolerance to awake proning. Modified awake proning with application of transdermal fentanyl patch (TFP) can improve the compliance to conscious proning in COVID-19 patients.
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Many patients are discharged from hospital after surgery with excessive doses of opioid, and prescription opioid addiction has become a serious public health problem. Inpatient opioid de-escalation performed by clinical phar-macists may assist in reducing opioids before discharge. We aimed to evaluate whether clinical pharmacist-led opioid de-escalation for inpatients after orthopedic surgery led to significant reductions in opioid use at discharge, without resulting in greater pain intensity and side effects. ⋯ Pharmacist-led inpatient opioid de-escalation is effective, does not increase pain intensity, and reduces constipation. Hospitals should explore the viability of extending pharmacist-led opioid de-escalation to other surgical patients and following hospital discharge, aiming for opioid cessation.