Patterns of opioid prescribing for treating pain in patients with different age and gender: A retrospective cross sectional study

Zin, Che Suraya and Abdul Rahman, Norny Syafinaz and Ismail, Che Rokiah and Weng Cho, Leong (2015) Patterns of opioid prescribing for treating pain in patients with different age and gender: A retrospective cross sectional study. In: 12th MPS Pharmacy Scientific Conference 2015 (MPS-PSC 2015), 13th-15th November 2015, Subang Jaya, Selangor. (Unpublished)

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Abstract

Introduction: Opioid utilization has been increasing over the last few decades and little is known about the patterns of opioid prescribing in different gender and age. Objective: To investigate patterns of opioid prescribing for pain treatment in patients with different age and gender. Method: This cross sectional study conducted at outpatient pharmacy Hospital Tengku Ampuan Afzan Kuantan (HTAA). Prescription records for four opioids (dihydrocodeine, fentanyl, morphine and oxycodone) issued between January 2013 and December 2014 were examined. Outcome measures included number of patients and prescriptions, age, gender and types of opioid. All analyses were performed using Stata 13 (Stata Corp LP, Texas, USA). Results: Overall, 270 patients were prescribed with opioid analgesics from 2013 to 2014. Of these, 121 (44.8%) were women and 149 (55.2%) were men. The predominant age groups for women and men were 51-65 and 66-80 years old respectively. During the same study period, 481(44%) prescriptions for opioid analgesics were prescribed for women while 612(56%) for men. Oxycodone was the most frequently prescribed in both women and men (39.5% vs. 38.6%) primarily for younger patients (<40years old), followed by morphine (38% vs. 28.1%), dihydrocodeine (15% vs. 20.2%) and fentanyl (7.48% vs.13.1%). Conclusion: Prescriptions for opioid analgesics were predominant in men compared to women primarily for age group 66-80 years old. Oxycodone was the most frequently prescribed in both genders mostly in the younger patients. Further research is required to explore the indication of opioid analgesics and its related clinical outcomes.

Item Type:	Conference or Workshop Item (Speech/Talk)
Additional Information:	4127/52345
Uncontrolled Keywords:	opioid prescribing, pain treatment
Subjects:	R Medicine > RS Pharmacy and materia medica
Kulliyyahs/Centres/Divisions/Institutes (Can select more than one option. Press CONTROL button):	Kulliyyah of Pharmacy > Department of Pharmacy Practice
Depositing User:	Prof Dr Che Suraya Mohd Zin
Date Deposited:	18 Oct 2016 10:03
Last Modified:	18 Oct 2016 10:03
URI:	http://irep.iium.edu.my/id/eprint/52345

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