Short-Acting Opioids May Increase Fracture Risk in Elderly Patients

Elderly patients given a short-acting opioid analgesic for treatment of arthritis pain are twice as likely to experience a fracture in the next year, compared to elderly patients given a long-acting opioid or nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug, according to a study reported in Internal Medicine News.

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Increased fracture risk was particularly dangerous during the first two weeks after therapy, when the relative risk was seven times higher than patients in patients on a short-acting opioid.

After the initial two week period, the fracture risk associated with short-acting opioids dropped off but still remained greater than with NSAID therapy.

Read the Internal Medicine News report on short-acting opioids.

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