News Release

Ultrarestrictive opioid prescribing strategy associated with fewer pills dispensed

Peer-Reviewed Publication

JAMA Network

Bottom Line: An ultrarestrictive opioid prescribing strategy was associated with a reduction in the number of pills dispensed in a study of patients having surgery for gynecologic cancer, without changes in postoperative pain scores, complications or increases in prescription refill requests. Under the protocol, patients having ambulatory or minimally invasive surgery weren't prescribed opioids at discharge unless they required more than five doses of oral or intravenous opioids while in the hospital. Surgical patients who had an abdominal incision (laparotomy) were given a three-day supply of opioids when they were discharged. The average number of opioid pills dispensed at discharge decreased after the ultrarestrictive prescribing protocol was implemented from 43.6 to 12.1 for patients who had a laparotomy; from 38.4 to 1.3 for patients who had minimally invasive surgery; and from 13.9 to 0.2 for patients who had ambulatory surgery. The findings reveal a promising strategy for decreasing postoperative opioid prescribing without increasing pain.

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Authors:  Emese Zsiros, M.D., Ph.D., Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center, Buffalo, New York, and coauthors

Related Material: The invited commentary, "Striving for Evidence-Based Postoperative Opioid Prescribing While Optimizing Perioperative Pain Management--Shifting to Conservative Prescribing," by Jennifer M. Hah, M.D., M.S., Stanford University, Palo Alto, California, also is available on the For The Media website.

To Learn More: The full study is available on the For The Media website.

(doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2018.5452)

Editor's Note: The article contains conflict of interest and  funding/support disclosures. Please see the article for additional information, including other authors, author contributions and affiliations, financial disclosures, funding and support, etc.

Want to embed a link to this study in your story?: Links will be live at the embargo time http://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamanetworkopen/fullarticle/10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2018.5452

About JAMA Network Open: JAMA Network Open is the new online-only open access general medical journal from the JAMA Network. Every Friday, the journal publishes peer-reviewed clinical research and commentary in more than 40 medical and health subject areas. Every article is free online from the day of publication.


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