Researchers examined 42 published studies from across eight countries that included 5.05 million people with chronic pain conditions, other than cancer. A majority of the studies were based in the U.S., and others were based in Australia, the United Kingdom, Norway, India, Spain, Denmark and Canada.
They found that from 1991-2015, prescribing of opioid medicines increased significantly. The studies conducted earlier in the time period show that opioids were prescribed to about 20 percent of patients experiencing chronic pain, but the later studies show those rates increase to more than 40 percent.
Analysis of the studies also show that the average age of those prescribed an opioid was 55.7 years. Also, 18.4 percent of opioids prescribed were classified as “strong,” such as oxycodone, morphine and fentanyl, and 24.1 percent were combination products containing opioids, for example, oxycodone combined with paracetamol.
More articles on opioids:
Ohio county considers adding 2nd morgue for surge in opioid overdose deaths
Medicaid expansion linked to drop in opioid overdose deaths
How Houston Methodist reduced opioid prescriptions by nearly 77%
