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  • In older adults with chronic non-cancer pain, short-term use of opioids reduces pain and physical disability but does not benefit mental health, and 25% discontinue due to adverse effects

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Care of the older person
Systematic review and meta-analysis
In older adults with chronic non-cancer pain, short-term use of opioids reduces pain and physical disability but does not benefit mental health, and 25% discontinue due to adverse effects
  1. Carol Haigh
  1. Department of Nursing, Manchester Metropolitan University, Manchester, UK
  1. Correspondence to Carol Haigh
    Department of Nursing, Manchester Metropolitan University, Elizabeth Gaskell Building, Hathersage Road, Manchester M13 0JA, UK; c.haigh{at}mmu.ac.uk

https://doi.org/10.1136/ebn1173

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    Commentary on: Papaleontiou M, Henderson CR Jr., Turner BJ, et al. Outcomes associated with opioid use in the treatment of chronic noncancer pain in older adults: a systematic review and meta-analysis. J Am Geriatr Soc 2010;58:1353–69.OpenUrlCrossRefPubMedWeb of Science

    Implications for nursing practice

    • ■ Nurses are often hesitant to recommend opiate use for non-cancer pain.

    • ■ People aged 65 and above are as likely to benefit from opioids as younger people.

    • ■ In older people with no significant comorbidity, short-term use of opioids reduces pain and improves physical functioning.

    • ■ 25% of patients stop using opioids because of adverse events, including constipation.

    Implications for nursing research

    • ■ Long-term safety, efficacy and abuse potential in older persons are yet to be determined.

    • ■ Older age is associated with a lower likelihood of abuse and misuse of opioids.

    Context

    There have been a number of previously published systematic reviews on short-term outcomes associated with opioid treatment …

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    Footnotes

    • Competing interests None.