Long-term Analgesic Use After Low-Risk Surgery

Abstract

Patients are often prescribed analgesics after ambulatory and short-stay operations preemptively in anticipation of postoperative pain.¹ In many cases, patients are given a standard dose based on the expectation of postoperative pain.² Indeed, recent evidence has shown that overprescription of narcotics is common, and retained surplus medication presents a readily available source of opioid diversion among certain surgical patients.³