In a session at the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP) Summer Meeting in Boston, presenter Jeannell Mansur, PharmD, CJCP, FASHP, said that even 1 opioid prescription can trigger long-term dependence and addiction. Risk of chronic opioid use increases with each additional day of opioid medication starting with the third day. Sharpest increases in chronic opioid use occur after the fifth and 31st days of use, a second prescription or refill, and an initial supply of 10 or 30 days.
Each day in the United States, 3900 individuals initiate nonmedical use of prescription opioids, 580 individuals start using heroin, and 78 opioid users die from related overdose, according to the CDC. In her presentation, Mansur, who is Principal Consultant for Medication Management and Safety for Joint Commission Resources, provided an overview of the commission’s past standards for pain management and changes to that went into effect January 1, 2018.
Source: Pharmacy Times, June 9, 2019
