Older Patients at Risk for Opioid Abuse

Healio reported that one-sixth of patients over the age of 60 were still taking opioid pain medication three to six months after surgery, according to research presented at the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons annual meeting last month. “While prior research on the hazards of opioids in the elderly has primarily focused on short-term risks, such as sedation and delirium, our findings suggest that addiction and chronic opioid usage may represent risks for this older population as well.” Read the full story here.