Predictors of in-hospital postoperative opioid overdose after major elective operations: a nationally representative cohort study.

The large surge in opioid use is a serious patient safety problem. This retrospective study revealed that risk of postoperative inpatient opioid overdose increased over time. Patients with a substance abuse history were more likely to experience a postoperative opioid overdose, but hospital characteristics did not predict this complication. This finding suggests that high-risk patient characteristics should be taken into account in prescribing opioids after surgery.