Pain Management

The portion of pregnant Medicaid beneficiaries who received a prescription for an opioid painkiller increased from 18.5% in 2000 to 22.8% in 2007, according to the results of a new study.

The APhA, NACDS, NCPA, and others argue that rescheduling hydrocodone combination products will impede access to the medications by legitimate pain patients while failing to stem abuse.

The rate of prescription of codeine to children in emergency departments for injuries and cough and upper respiratory infection remained the same from 2001 through 2010 despite guidelines recommending against its use for these conditions.

Almost half of teenagers who had recurring headaches were prescribed opioid painkillers, with those who received care in emergency departments even more likely to receive the drugs, a new study finds.

The portion of emergency department visits that led to an opioid prescription increased almost 50% between 2001 and 2010 while the portion of visits that were for painful conditions barely increased.

Children whose mothers used acetaminophen during pregnancy had an increased risk for behavioral problems related to ADHD, but experts advise that more research is required to investigate the association.

A 50-year-old male with a history of benign prostatic hyperplasia, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and type 2 diabetes mellitus is admitted for a laparoscopic colectomy. The patient's surgeon requests a pharmacy consultation to develop a multimodal, opioid-sparing pain control regimen.

Patients require careful assessment before OTC analgesics for migraines can be recommended.

Medicare patients who were prescribed opioids by multiple providers were more likely to be hospitalized due to adverse effects, but researchers note that pharmacists can help fix the problem.

Despite limited evidence on whether use of opioid painkillers during pregnancy is safe, a new study finds that approximately 1 in 7 women is exposed to the medications during pregnancy.

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A study found no significant association between use of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs by pregnant women and miscarriage, but its authors noted the need for further research.

An expert debate on whether hydrocodone combination products should be made Schedule II drugs, as the FDA has recommended.

Jeff Fudin, PharmD, FCCP, argues that the way to make hydrocodone combination products safer for patients is to provide more education for those who prescribe the medications and pharmacists who dispense them.

Mary Lynn McPherson, PharmD, explains why hydrocodone combination products should no longer be categorized as Schedule III drugs.

Jeff Fudin, PharmD, FCCP, argues that categorizing hydrocodone combination products as Schedule II could lead to increased prescription of codeine, a much "sloppier" drug that could create problems for patients.

Mary Lynn McPherson, PharmD, argues that rescheduling hydrocodone combination products will lead to more responsible prescribing of the drugs and monitoring of their use.

Jeff Fudin, PharmD, FCCP, discusses the effect of rescheduling hydrocodone combination products as CII in New York State on prescription of other opioids, including oxycodone.

Mary Lynn McPherson, PharmD, explains how rescheduling hydrocodone combination products as Schedule II drugs will help reduce levels of abuse.

Jeff Fudin, PharmD, FCCP, argues that studies comparing the abuse liability of hydrocodone combination products with that of other opioids have produced conflicting results.

Mary Lynn McPherson, PharmD, discusses why hydrocodone combination products were categorized as Schedule III in the first place.

Jeff Fudin, PharmD, FCCP, argues that categorizing hydrocodone combination products as Schedule II drugs is unlikely to reduce abuse of the medications.

The agency has asked prescribers not to prescribe medications containing more than 325 mg of acetaminophen per dose.

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Mary Lynn McPherson, PharmD, discusses the appeal of hydrocodone combination products to drug abusers.

Patients who received lower levels of opioid painkillers due to use of neuraxial analgesia along with general anesthesia had lower levels of systematic progression and overall death than those who received general anesthesia alone.

Jeff Fudin, PharmD, FCCP, argues that there is no evidence to support categorizing hydrocodone combination products as Schedule II drugs rather than Schedule III drugs.