Post-Operative Prescription-Fill Patterns Differ Amongst Patients on High Dose Opioids

University of Michigan researchers found that while most surgical patients use similar amounts of opioids in the first week after surgery, those already on high-dose opioids are far more likely to seek refills within 90 days. Analyzing more than 72,000 patients, the study highlights a key gap in managing the roughly 1 in 5 patients who use opioids long-term before surgery, pointing to a need for more tailored prescribing to improve safety and outcomes.