Chronic Opioid Therapy in Noncancer Patients With Chronic Pain
Chronic Opioid Therapy in Noncancer Patients With Chronic Pain
This article reviews a selected group of recent nurse practitioner cases that have their genesis in prescription medications, particularly opioids. Additionally, the authors discuss a multidisciplinary, evidence-based standard that may assist nurse practitioners who are considering prescribing chronic opioid therapy (COT). The article concludes with recent federal initiatives related to COT, as well as new medications that can be used with patients on COT.
A 28-year-old man had a stressful job, a recent separation from his significant other and their infant daughter, and resulting symptoms of insomnia, anxiety, and musculoskeletal pain. Unlike many of us, he also had the financial means to seek medical treatment from several providers, each of whom was willing to prescribe the latest cocktail of pharmaceuticals to ease his symptoms. Tragically, at the time of his pharmaceutically-induced death, actor Heath Ledger had a number of drugs in his system, including oxycodone and hydrocodone. His death was ruled an accident.
Abstract and Introduction
Abstract
This article reviews a selected group of recent nurse practitioner cases that have their genesis in prescription medications, particularly opioids. Additionally, the authors discuss a multidisciplinary, evidence-based standard that may assist nurse practitioners who are considering prescribing chronic opioid therapy (COT). The article concludes with recent federal initiatives related to COT, as well as new medications that can be used with patients on COT.
Introduction
A 28-year-old man had a stressful job, a recent separation from his significant other and their infant daughter, and resulting symptoms of insomnia, anxiety, and musculoskeletal pain. Unlike many of us, he also had the financial means to seek medical treatment from several providers, each of whom was willing to prescribe the latest cocktail of pharmaceuticals to ease his symptoms. Tragically, at the time of his pharmaceutically-induced death, actor Heath Ledger had a number of drugs in his system, including oxycodone and hydrocodone. His death was ruled an accident.
