Even if opioids are used as prescribed, just having these drugs in the house increases the chances that somebody in the household may misuse opioids, says Dr. Julie Gaither, a pediatrics researcher at Yale School of Medicine in New Haven, Connecticut who wasn’t involved in the study.
“Opioids are now available in millions of American homes, which means that everyday individuals vulnerable to addiction and overdose—such as children, teens, the elderly, and those with a history of substance abuse—are routinely exposed to medications that are highly addictive and potentially deadly,” Gaither says by email.
“Simply having more of the medications around increases the risk for accidental poisonings in the young and overdose in teens and adults,” Gaither adds.
The study findings add to evidence that opioids should be prescribed in the smallest dose possible for the briefest period of time, says Dr. Constance Houck, a researcher at Harvard Medical School and Boston Children’s Hospital who wasn’t involved in the study.
“This study reinforces the concerns that having more opioid medications in a household may put other family members at risk,” Houck says by email. “The take home message from this study is that opioids should be used sparingly for the treatment of pain and whenever possible combined with other medications such as NSAIDs and physical modalities such as ice or heat to reduce the amount needed.”
Reference
- Seamans MJ, Carey TS1, Westreich DJ, et al. Association of household opioid availability and prescription opioid initiation among household members. JAMA Intern Med. 2017 Dec 11. doi: 10.1001/jamainternmed.2017.7280. [Epub ahead of print]
