Opioid prescribing for opioid-naive patients in emergency departments and other settings: characteristics of prescriptions and association with long-term use.
Jeffery MM, Hooten M, Hess EP, et al. Opioid Prescribing for Opioid-Naive Patients in Emergency Departments and Other Settings: Characteristics of Prescriptions and Association With Long-Term Use. Ann Emerg Med. 2018;71(3):326-336.e19. doi:10.1016/j.annemergmed.2017.08.042.
Prior research has shown that prescribing opioids to opioid-naïve patients at the time of hospital discharge may lead to chronic use, placing these patients at increased risk for opioid-related harm. Using claims data, researchers compared opioid prescribing patterns for opioid-naïve patients in the emergency department setting with other care settings. Opioid prescribing in the emergency department more often comported with CDC guidelines and was less likely to lead to chronic use among opioid-naïve patients.