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Perioperative Medicine
Published in: Perioperative Medicine 1/2018

Open Access 01-12-2018 | Review

The rising tide of opioid use and abuse: the role of the anesthesiologist

Authors: Elena J. Koepke, Erin L. Manning, Timothy E. Miller, Arun Ganesh, David G. A. Williams, Michael W. Manning

Published in: Perioperative Medicine | Issue 1/2018

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Abstract

Opioid use has risen dramatically in the past three decades. In the USA, opioid overdose has become a leading cause of unintentional death, surpassing motor vehicle accidents. A patient’s first exposure to opioids may be during the perioperative period, a time where anesthesiologists have a significant role in pain management. Almost all patients in the USA receive opioids during a surgical encounter. Opioids have many undesirable side effects, including potential for misuse, or opioid use disorder. Anesthesiologists and surgeons employ several methods to decrease unnecessary opioid use, opioid-related adverse events, and side effects in the perioperative period. Multimodal analgesia, enhanced recovery pathways, and regional anesthesia are key tools as we work towards optimal opioid stewardship and the ideal of effective analgesia without undesirable sequelae.
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Metadata
Title
The rising tide of opioid use and abuse: the role of the anesthesiologist
Authors
Elena J. Koepke
Erin L. Manning
Timothy E. Miller
Arun Ganesh
David G. A. Williams
Michael W. Manning
Publication date
01-12-2018
Publisher
BioMed Central
Published in
Perioperative Medicine / Issue 1/2018
Electronic ISSN: 2047-0525
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1186/s13741-018-0097-4

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