Ask Dr. Bell: How Can We Address Opioid Misuse?
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Children's View Louis Bell, MD, Chief of the Division of General Pediatrics, shares the latest in medical thinking on an important topic: prescribing opioids for pain.
Opioid overuse and misuse are national crises and, sadly, they aren’t just adult problems. A recent study found that about 5 percent of adolescent patients who had common surgical procedures continued to refill opioid prescriptions three to six months after surgery.
While prescribing opioids to those with chronic or postoperative pain is important, prescribing practices vary widely, and opioids — highly addictive drugs like oxycodone (OxyContin®), hydrocodone (Vicodin®), codeine and morphine, among others — are often prescribed after even minor procedures. Use of opioids for short durations, as prescribed by a doctor, is generally safe. It’s the misuse of prescription opioids past the point of healing that can lead to addiction and even overdose or death.
Safe and effective pain management is an issue we take seriously at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. Francis Kraemer, MD, attending anesthesiologist and Medical Director of CHOP’s Acute and Chronic Pain Management Program, and his team have developed opioid prescribing guidelines for infants through teenagers.
The guidelines focus on using the least powerful drug for the least amount of time while ensuring children are comfortable. If possible, we avoid prescribing opioids in the first place.
The following are some keys to CHOP’s effort:
Contributed by: Louis M. Bell, MD
Categories: Children's View Winter 2019