Docs Urged to Give Lower Opioid Doses, No Refills
Researchers cite concerns about possible long-term use and addiction
WebMD News from HealthDay
By Robert Preidt
HealthDay Reporter
TUESDAY, Aug. 9, 2016 (HealthDay News) -- Patients who are first-time users of pain-killing opioids should be prescribed a small dose without refills to reduce the risk of long-term use and possible addiction, a new study suggests.
A surge in prescriptions for opioids such as Oxycontin and Vicodin over the past two decades dovetails with a steep rise in addiction and overdoses in the United States. The trend has prompted calls for more careful use of the narcotic painkillers.
