Opioids
6%
Improve with treatment
40%
Improve with control
54%
Do not Improve
What does improve mean?
An example of a 30% reduction in pain scores is a decrease from 6 to 4 on a 10 point pain scale
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
How many people will improve?
46%
Improvement by treatment or placebo
54%
No Improvement
Opioids Harms
Withdrawals due to Adverse Events (Any Opioid)
Nausea
Constipation
Dizziness
Drowsiness
Headache
Other Considerations
- Last option due to risk of dependence, side-effects, and long-term serious harms
- If absolutely needed, doses should be kept ≤ 90 mg/day of morphine equivalents
- Should be used short-term
- Side effects are more common in older patients and may lead to falls
- Approximate cost (CAD) depends on opioid used, 30-day supply: $20+
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Osteoarthritis Pain
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