Caitlin Owens
March 18, 2019
Adapted from a Journal of the American
Medical Association report;
Cartogram: Lazaro Gamio/Axios
How we prescribe opioids changed between 2006 and 2017 and
varies state by state, according to a new study in
the Journal of the American Medical Association.
The bad news: The
average duration per prescription and the prescribing rate of long-term opioid
prescriptions increased.
- "Duration of use is
the strongest predictor of opioid use disorder and overdose," the
study's authors write. Every additional week that someone uses opioids,
there's a 20% increased risk of developing an opioid use disorder or
having an overdose.
The good news: Between
2006 and 2017, the amount of opioids prescribed per person decreased, as did
the prescribing rate for high-dosage opioids, short-term opioid prescriptions,
and extended-release and long-acting opioid formulations.
- High dosages and
longer-acting formulations also increase a person's risk of becoming
addicted or overdosing.
- The decline in
short-term opioid prescriptions could mean that providers are encouraging
other forms of pain management.
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