2023-04-26 20:44:27
Suisse
“Disproportionate increase” in opioid prescriptions in ten years
A study from Baden Hospital (AG) shows that doctors tend to prescribe these powerful painkillers even for mild cases.
Published
The study recalls that the side effects of opioids can be hypersensitivity to pain, nausea and dependence on opioids.
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A study by the Cantonal Hospital of Baden (KSB) reveals that in the last ten years the use of opioids for the treatment of pain following an accident has almost doubled. The results show that many patients suffering from musculoskeletal injuries, ie fractures, bruises or sprains, are now receiving these substances which are among the most powerful analgesics.
Professor Maria Wertli, Chief Physician for Internal Medicine at KSB, and her team evaluated the data from nearly 2 million accidents reported to SUVA. “Between 2008 and 2018, we observed a disproportionate increase in the prescription of metamizole, strong opioids, and coxibs, even for mild injuries,” the study authors write. In ten years, prescription frequency has increased by 88.3 percentage points for serious injuries and 91.4 percentage points for minor injuries.
Opioids are no more effective than other painkillers in musculoskeletal injuries, but cause more side effects such as pain hypersensitivity, nausea and opioid dependence, the study points out. In view of these realities, the KSB recommends prescribing opioids only in really necessary cases and also relies on additional information from the medical profession.
Strong opioids and metamizole are mainly used in German-speaking Switzerland and less in French-speaking and Italian-speaking Switzerland. The authors of the study explain this difference between the linguistic regions by “the more liberal prescribing practice” that prevails there.
(Letizia Vecchio/aze)
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