Study: Nearly 10% of patients on prescription opioids develop dependency or disorder

Editor's Note

Research reveals nearly 10% of patients treated with prescription opioid painkillers develop opioid dependency or opioid use disorder (OUD), Healio reported on August 13. Additionally, nearly 30% of patients exhibit signs and symptoms indicating potential OUD.

Originally published in the journal Addiction, the data are from a systematic review and meta-analysis of 148 studies involving over 4.3 million participants conducted by researchers at the University of Bristol. The goal was to provide a more accurate estimate of the prevalence of problematic opioid use among pain patients, addressing inconsistencies in previous studies.

The study categorized problematic opioid use into four groups:

• diagnosed opioid dependency and OUD
• signs and symptoms of OUD
• aberrant behaviors like seeking early refills
• those at risk for developing OUD.

The pooled prevalence rates were:

• 9.3% for opioid dependency and OUD
• 29.6% for signs and symptoms
• 22% for aberrant behavior
• 12.4% for those at risk.

Findings challenge claims from companies like Purdue Pharma, which have suggested that less than 1% of opioid prescriptions lead to problems. Although researchers point out heterogeneity among the analyzed studies as a limitation, they emphasized the need for better prescribing practices, enhanced education on opioid-related harms, and improved access to appropriate pain management.