Opioid use and abuse: a pain clinic perspective

Prescription opioid abuse has become the biggest drug problem facing the United States, surpassing abuse of cocaine, methamphetamines and heroin combined. For physicians treating patients with chronic pain, deciding whether to prescribe opioids, especially long-term, can be a challenge. This article describes the history of the opioid abuse problem in the United States, new agents that are effective but less prone to abuse, and tools physicians can use to evaluate whether a patient is a candidate for prescription opioids or other options for pain control.