Most Americans Would Skip Opioids After Surgery If They Could: Survey
More than two-thirds of Americans would be willing to try alternatives to prescription opioids to control pain after surgery, a new survey shows. When I talk to patients and reassure them that we’re going to be replacing opioids with a much more effective and safe method, and really talk to them about the risks of opioids that have become much more evident with the research that’s come out recently, most patients are very open to the idea,” said Dr. Luke Elms, a general surgeon at Orlando Health Dr. P. Phillips Hospital.
Some patients are so concerned about the risk of becoming addicted to opioids that they delay necessary procedures or care, according to Elms.
Last year was the deadliest year on record for drug overdose deaths in the United States, with more than 93,000 nationwide.
