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Published in: Current Pain and Headache Reports 11/2014

01-11-2014 | Psychiatric Management of Pain (M Clark, Section Editor)

Suicide by Means of Opioid Overdose in Patients with Chronic Pain

Authors: Parvaz Madadi, Nav Persaud

Published in: Current Pain and Headache Reports | Issue 11/2014

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Abstract

Deaths from prescription opioid use continue to rise in North America. The main focus to date has been developing strategies to prevent nonintentional (accidental) fatalities, which constitute the majority of opioid deaths across all jurisdictions. Often overlooked is the complex group of individuals whose cause of death was suicide by opioid overdose. Although most opioid prescribing tools focus on identifying risk factors for potential abuse, diversion, and propensity for opioid addiction, physicians who consider prescribing opioids should also screen and optimize chronic pain treatment for patients at risk for suicide.
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Metadata
Title
Suicide by Means of Opioid Overdose in Patients with Chronic Pain
Authors
Parvaz Madadi
Nav Persaud
Publication date
01-11-2014
Publisher
Springer US
Published in
Current Pain and Headache Reports / Issue 11/2014
Print ISSN: 1531-3433
Electronic ISSN: 1534-3081
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1007/s11916-014-0460-1

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