Articles: opioid.
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Cancer Ther Oncol Int J · Jan 2017
Opioid Prescription Drug Use and Expenditures in US Outpatient Physician Offices: Evidence from Two Nationally Representative Surveys.
Opioids are widely prescribed for their analgesic properties. Chronic opioid use is a persistent problem in the US. Nevertheless, little is known about its prescribing and utilization patterns and overall expenditures. ⋯ Drs. Qureshi, Haider, Ball, Horner and Bennett's efforts are partially supported by the University of South Carolina's ASPIRE I. Dr. Wooten's effort is funded by the National Institute on Drug Abuse (K01DA037412).
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Opioid abuse and misuse in the USA is a public health crisis. The use of prescription opioid analgesics increased substantially from 2002 through 2010, then plateaued and began to decrease in 2011. ⋯ The data indicate that these health policies, including the utilization and reimbursement of OADPs, have coincided with decreased opioid utilization. The hypothesis that OADPs will paradoxically increase opioid prescribing is not supported.
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Journal of pain research · Jan 2017
Co-prescription of opioids with benzodiazepine and other co-medications among opioid users: differential in opioid doses.
This study investigated the patterns of opioid co-prescription with benzodiazepine and other concomitant medications among opioid users. Opioid dose in each type of co-prescription was also examined. ⋯ Among the opioid users receiving concomitant medications, the co-prescriptions of opioid with benzodiazepine were prescribed to 12.3% of patients, and the individual opioid dose in this co-prescription was moderate. Other co-medications were also commonly used, and their opioid doses were within the recommended dose. Future studies are warranted to evaluate the adverse effect and clinical outcomes of the co-medications particularly in long-term opioid users with chronic non-cancer pain.
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Postgraduate medicine · Jan 2017
Impact of breakthrough pain on community-dwelling cancer patients: results from the National Breakthrough Pain Study.
To characterize cancer-related breakthrough pain (BTcP) among community-dwelling patients with cancer. ⋯ Results indicate that BTcP among community-dwelling patients with cancer continues to be a health burden and reveals opportunities to improve its management.
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The aim of this study was to assess the phenomenon of episodic breathlessness in advanced cancer patients followed by palliative care services at home. ⋯ This study showed that episodic breathlessness frequently occurs in advanced cancer patients admitted to home care, is severe in intensity, is triggered in most cases by activity, and is characterized by a short duration which requires rapid measures.