OCTOBER 24, 2016

Study Elucidates Reasons for Discontinuation Of Long-Term Opioid Therapy

Austin, Texas—Aberrant behavior is the primary cause for patients getting discontinued from long-term opioid therapy, especially if they have a diagnosis for substance use disorder (SUD), a new study found.

Patients may be discontinued from opioid therapy for a variety of reasons, including a lack of efficacy, nonadherence to treatment plans, adverse side effects or personal choice. While signs of aberrant behavior (e.g., known or suspected substance abuse, discordant urine drug tests, and