Dermatologists issue consensus guideline for opioid prescribing

(HealthDay)—In an expert panel consensus, published online Nov. 12 in the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology, opioid-prescribing guidelines are presented for common dermatologic procedures.

Justin M. McLawhorn, M.D., from the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center in Oklahoma City, and colleagues used a four-step modified Delphi method to conduct a systematic discussion to develop opioid-prescribing guidelines for common dermatologic scenarios. The guidelines were developed for patients who were opioid-naive and undergoing routine procedures.

The researchers found that after most uncomplicated procedures (76 percent), postoperative pain can be adequately managed with acetaminophen and/or ibuprofen. No specific dermatologic scenarios were identified that routinely require more than 15 oxycodone 5-mg oral equivalents to manage postoperative pain. Twenty-three percent of procedural scenarios routinely required one to 10 opioid tablets based on group consensus, while one to 15 opioid tablets were routinely required for only one procedural scenario.

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