Separating Opioid Fact and Fiction in Urology

Opioid prescription is as deeply entrenched in the rituals of surgery as the act of donning gown and gloves. The ability to perform surgical interventions has always depended on the availability of analgesia and opioids have long represented an indispensable component of care. Currently, a spotlight illuminates a national epidemic of opioid misuse, with soaring rates of dependence, chronic use and overdose related to prescribed and illicit formulations. Indeed, it is estimated that in 2015, 11.5 million Americans (4.5%) misused opioids and that 1.9 million (0.8%) had a use disorder.
Source: The Journal of Urology - Category: Urology & Nephrology Authors: Tags: Commentary Source Type: research