“Every single day, more than 115 people die from opioid abuse in the United States, according to the CDC. One of the reasons for this growing epidemic could be doctors overprescribing opioids after surgery, according to new research.
A study published in JAMA Surgery found that many surgeons are writing prescriptions for opioid painkillers four times larger than what the patient will actually use after surgery. And the more pills a patient is prescribed, the more they will likely take, despite pain scores and the intensity of the surgical procedure.”
Read more at: https://www.everydayhealth.com/opioids/treatment/patients-receive-more-opioids-than-necessary-after-surgery/
Source: EveryDayHealth.com – November 12, 2018