New research suggests that prescribing larger supplies of opioids early on increases the likelihood that the patients will continue taking the drugs a year later.
About 13.5% of patients receiving a first-time opioid prescription with an initial supply of eight days or more were still taking the painkiller a year later, according to a study from pharmacist Bradley Martin and colleagues from the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences.
For those who received a supply of 31 days or more in their initial prescription, 30% were still taking an opioid a year later, according to the ...
Comments