Opioids come with a number of risks that may not be worth taking for people suffering from chronic pain conditions.
The American Academy of Neurology (AAN) released a new position statement that warned the risk of "death, overdose, addiction or serious side effects with prescription opioids" outweigh the benefits in non-cancer conditions such as chronic headache and back pain.
Opioids are narcotic pain medications including "morphine, codeine, oxycodone, methadone, fentanyl, hydrocodone or a combination of the drugs with acetaminophen."
"More than 100,000 people have died from prescription opioid use since policies changed in the late 1990s to allow much more liberal long-term use," said Gary M. Franklin, MD, MPH, research professor in the Department of Environmental & Occupational Health Sciences in the University of Washington School of Public Health in Seattle and a Fellow with the AAN. "There have been more deaths from prescription opioids in the most vulnerable young to middle-aged groups than from firearms and car accidents. Doctors, states, institutions and patients need to work together to stop this epidemic."
Past research has shown about 50 percent of patients taking opioids for at least three months remain on the drugs for five years or more. While these drugs can help ease pain, there is no evidence to show it can do so over a long period of time without causing overdose or serious addiction.
The AAN recommends doctors consult with a pain management specialist if their patient is taking more a dosage higher than 80 to 120 milligrams per day, especially if their pain ahs significantly improved.
The statement also suggests other strategies such as: creating an opioid treatment agreement; screening for drug abuse history and depression; employing random urine drug screenings; not prescribing sedative-hypnotics or benzodiazepines with opioids; and assessing pain and function to determine tolerance and effectiveness of the drugs.
The position paper was published Sept. 30, 2014, in the print issue of Neurology®.
