Opioids prescribed after low-risk surgical procedures in the United States, 2004–2012.
Wunsch H, Wijeysundera DN, Passarella MA, et al. Opioids Prescribed After Low-Risk Surgical Procedures in the United States, 2004-2012. JAMA. 2016;315(15):1654-7. doi:10.1001/jama.2016.0130.
Harm related to opioid medications is rampant and growing. This data analysis revealed a very high prevalence of new opioid prescriptions following low-risk surgical procedures. The authors suggest that further studies examine an association between receiving opioids after a low-risk procedure and subsequent harm or addiction.