Announcing the CDC guideline for prescribing opioids for chronic pain
Institution:
1. Department of Pediatrics, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, CO;2. Children''s Outcome Research Program, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, CO;1. Department of Clinical Pharmacy, University of Colorado Skaggs School of Pharmacy, Aurora, Colorado;2. College of Business and Economics, American University of Armenia, Yerevan, Armenia;3. Peakstat Statistical Services, Evergreen, Colorado;4. Gilead Sciences, Foster City, California;1. Department of Orthopedics & Rehabilitation, University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, Iowa City, Iowa, U.S.A.;2. Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina, U.S.A.;3. Columbia University Medical Center, New York, New York, U.S.A.;1. Adult and Child Consortium for Health Outcomes Research and Delivery Science (ACCORDS), University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, and The Children''s Hospital, Denver, Colo;2. Department of Pediatrics, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Denver, Colo;3. Department of Family Medicine, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Denver, Colo;4. Department of Health Policy and Management and Department of Pediatrics, University of South Florida, Tampa, Fla;5. Colorado Immunization Information System, Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment, Denver, Colo
Abstract:
This guideline provides recommendations for primary care providers who are prescribing opioids for chronic pain outside of active cancer treatment, palliative care, and end-of-life care. The guideline addresses: (a) when to initiate or continue opioids for chronic pain; (b) opioid selection, dosage, duration, follow-up, and discontinuation; and (c) assessing risk and addressing harms of opioid use. This guideline is intended to improve communication between providers and patients about the risks and benefits of opioid therapy for chronic pain, improve the safety and effectiveness of pain treatment, and reduce the risks associated with long-term opioid therapy, including abuse, dependence, overdose, and death (Dowell D, Haegerich TM, Chou R. CDC Guideline for Prescribing Opioids for Chronic Pain — United States, 2016. MMWR Recomm Rep 2016;65:1–49. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.15585/mmwr.rr6501e1.)
