The American Society of Interventional Pain Physicians issued 17 updated guidelines for physicians when prescribing opioids for noncancer pain patients, according to Medscape.
Here are some of the updated guidelines:
1. Screen patients for opioid abuse.
2. Use urine drug testing.
3. Employ prescription drug monitoring programs.
4. Use risk stratification tools.
5. Establish medical necessity based on a patient's moderate-to-severe pain and/or disability.
6. Talk to a patient about their treatment goals regarding opioid therapy.
7. Initially use a low dose, short-acting drug in tandem with appropriate monitoring.
8. A lose dose may be considered a 40 morphine milligram equivalent. Consider 41 to 90 MME as a moderate dose and greater than 91 MME as a high dose.
9. Do not use long-acting opioids when starting opioid therapy.
10. Only advise patients to use methadone after a failed opioid therapy. Clinicians with specific training in methadone's risks and uses should prescribe the medication when necessary.
For more on the guidelines, click here.
