Researchers have warned of the potential for an 'opioid problem' after finding that patients waiting for hip and knee replacements were increasingly prescribed the drugs to manage pain.
The number of patients using opioids for pain relief while waiting for hip and knee replacements has increased by 40% during the pandemic, a study has found.that forced patients to wait an average of 90 extra days for procedures, according to the University of Aberdeen.led to elective orthopaedic procedures being widely postponed as hospitals prioritised acute care.
Opioids such as morphine and tramadol are frequently used as a last resort to manage pain caused by osteoarthritis - but researchers said evidence increasingly shows they have limited benefits and can even be detrimental in the long term, especially for older adults. When used before surgery for a long time, the study's authors said patients are more at risk of complications related to the operation, poorer outcomes and ongoing opioid dependence.The research examined data from 452 NHS patients from the northeast of Scotland who were on the waiting list for hip and knee replacement surgery, comparing the number who had been prescribed opioids with those who had surgery before the pandemic.
Luke Farrow, clinical research fellow at the University of Aberdeen's Institute of Applied Health Sciences, said other ways of managing severe arthritis pain need to be found"urgently" for those affected by the NHS backlog.
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