Priority patients for opioid deprescribing identified in first guidelines for GPs
'Just because every other doctor in your practice has prescribed someone opiates for many years doesn’t mean that you should continue liberal provision of that medication,' said guideline co-author Dr Simon Holliday.
Patients with COPD or sleep apnoea whose quality of life is not improving with opioid analgesia are among the priority groups for deprescribing, according to world-first guidelines for GPs.
The Evidence-based clinical practice guideline for deprescribing opioid analgesics advises tapering by 10-25% every week for patients treated with opioids for less than three months.
