Short-Acting Opioids May Increase Fracture Risk in Elderly Patients

Elderly patients given a short-acting opioid analgesic for treatment of arthritis pain are twice as likely to experience a fracture in the next year, compared to elderly patients given a long-acting opioid or nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug, according to a study reported in Internal Medicine News.

Increased fracture risk was particularly dangerous during the first two weeks after therapy, when the relative risk was seven times higher than patients in patients on a short-acting opioid.

After the initial two week period, the fracture risk associated with short-acting opioids dropped off but still remained greater than with NSAID therapy.

Read the Internal Medicine News report on short-acting opioids.

Read more on anesthesia:

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