The American Academy of Pain Medicine urged the public to carefully weigh the role of pain medications in recent deaths of military personnel, according to a release by the academy.
"Root causes in many of these deaths are far from simple," the academy said, responding to "national attention on major news websites and Sunday morning television talk shows" on the issue. The release did not name the news sources or provide specifics about the deaths.
Noting that the deaths have drawn charges of overmedication, the academy said there are "many difficult paths for those living with chronic pain and related serious consequences from traumas experienced in war zones, including functional loss, brain injury and depression. Suicide risk is a very serious concern that requires ongoing assessment."
The academy said it has helped the military design a "stepped care model" of pain management that involves educating primary care providers on diagnosis and treatment and use of an interdisciplinary team. The academy referred to its latest position paper in the Sept. 2009 issue of Pain Medicine.
Read the American Academy of Pain Medicine release on managing chronic pain.
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