United States: A new review shows that almost 1 in 10 people who take prescription opioids for chronic pain end up becoming addicted. The study, published on August 7, also found that about 1 in 3 people will show signs of addiction. This contradicts claims from companies like Purdue Pharma, which said that less than 1% of opioid prescriptions cause problems.
Call for Accurate Estimates and Better Guidelines
As reported by HealthDay, “Clinicians and policy makers need a more accurate estimate of the prevalence of problematic opioid use in pain patients so that they can gauge the true extent of the problem, change prescribing guidance if necessary, and develop and implement effective interventions to manage the problem,” said lead researcher Dr. Kyla Thomas who is a professor of public health medicine at the University of Bristol in the U.K.
Even after knowing the size of the particular problem, which is really necessary step to managing, it,” Thomas added in a journal news release.
Study Details and Findings
For the study the researchers analysed the data drawn from 148 studies on the opioid prescriptions dating from 1985 to 2021.
They also found that more than almost 9 percent of the chronic pain patients prescribed opioids wound up the diagnostic codes hereby.
Also, in addition to nearly 30% of the people who are taking opioids for the chronic pain developed signs or the symptoms indicating either dependence or addiction- craving, increasing tolerance or the withdrawal.
This opioid painkiller uses also prompted the aberrant behaviour in about 22% of the chronic pain patients. The Examples include the seeking early refills repeated dose increases or frequently lost prescriptions.
Although the evidence also showed that nearly 1 in the 8 chronic pain patients 12% have the characteristics that might increase their future risk of the opioid dependence or addiction.