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Commentary on: Chang AK, Bijur PE, Esses D, et al. Effect of a Single Dose of Oral Opioid and Nonopioid Analgesics on Acute Extremity Pain in the Emergency Department: A Randomized Clinical Trial. JAMA 2017;318:1661-7.
Context
The epidemic of opioid overdoses in the USA has not abated despite recent decreases in the number of opioid analgesics prescribed by US providers.1 Despite millions of patient-years of use, there are relatively few studies comparing the effectiveness and safety of commonly prescribed analgesics for acute pain in the emergency department (ED). Emerging data suggest that opioids initiated for acute pain may carry a subsequent risk of opioid use disorders,2 3emphasising the need for prudent opioid prescribing in acute care settings.
Methods
This was a blinded, randomised-controlled trial comparing single doses of four different oral analgesic preparations (non-opioid and opioid) for the treatment of acute extremity pain …
Footnotes
Competing interests None declared.
Provenance and peer review Commissioned; internally peer reviewed.