Rapid Tapering of Opioid Pain Drugs Poses Serious Risks to Users, Study Finds

August 3, 2021

(UPI) – Rapidly tapering patients off highly addictive opioid pain medications after long-term use at stable doses places them at increased risk for overdoses and mental health “crises,” a study published Tuesday by JAMA said. Those who use the drugs as prescribed to treat cancer-related pain or other chronic pain conditions and who had their doses significantly reduced to ween them off the potentially addictive medications were nearly twice as likely to experience a drug overdose compared to users who had their doses adjusted more gradually, the data showed.  (Read Full Article)