Articles: opioid.
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The purpose of this study was to assess whether weaning of opioid use in the preoperative period improved total joint arthroplasty (TJA) outcomes. ⋯ Patients with a history of chronic opioid use who successfully decreased their use of opioids before surgery had substantially improved clinical outcomes that were comparable to patients who did not use opioids at all.
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The opioid abuse and overdose epidemic in the United States has led to the need for new practice policies to guide clinicians. We describe implementation of opioid-related policies in emergency departments (EDs) in New England to gauge progress and determine where further work is needed. ⋯ The implementation of opioid-related policies varies among New England EDs. The presence of policies recommending use of screening tools and prescribing naloxone for at-risk patients was low, whereas those regarding utilization of the PDMP and referral of patients with opioid abuse to recovery resources were more common. These data provide important benchmarks for future evaluations and recommendations.
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Many patients around the globe do not have access to pain treatment. A series of workshops on the availability and rational use of opioids in Latin America (LA) were implemented. ⋯ Limited access to pain treatment is multifactorial, including restrictive laws and regulations. Strategies to eliminate barriers need to be broad and include clinical and government representatives to be effective. It may take several years before results are observed.