Not Too Much and Not Too Long: Appropriate Use of Opiates for Pain Management
In March 2016, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released a guideline for prescribing opioids for chronic pain. The most important points for primary care providers treating acute pain severe enough to require opioids are to prescribe the lowest effective dose of immediate-release opioids and to prescribe a quantity no greater than what is necessary. Three days or less will often be sufficient; more than seven days will rarely be needed. Opioid pain medication use presents serious risks,...
