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Relative addictive potential of opioid analgesic agents
Nicholas J Connors1,2, Maryann Mazer-Amirshahi3, Sergey Motov4
1HCA Healthcare, Trident Medical Center, Charleston, SC 29406, USA.
Pain Management
|December 10, 2020
Summary
Opioid addiction is a significant problem, with some prescription painkillers like oxycodone being more addictive than others. Healthcare providers should consider prescribing opioids with lower addiction potential to mitigate risks.
Area of Science:
- Pharmacology
- Addiction Research
- Public Health
Background:
- Opioid overdoses and deaths remain a critical issue in the USA, with prescribed opioid analgesics contributing significantly.
- Pharmacogenetic factors influencing opioid addiction are a key area of ongoing scientific investigation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the addictive potential of various opioid analgesic agents.
- To inform healthcare providers about differential addiction risks associated with prescribed opioids.
Main Methods:
- Literature review and analysis of existing data on opioid pharmacology and addiction potential.
- Comparative assessment of commonly prescribed opioid analgesics based on abuse and addiction liability.
Main Results:
- All opioid analgesics carry addiction potential, but significant variability exists.
- Oxycodone is identified as the most widely abused opioid analgesic, associated with high user preference and chronic use.
- Fentanyl and hydromorphone, despite high lipophilicity and rapid CNS penetration, are not rated as highly for addiction potential compared to some other agents.
Conclusions:
- Healthcare providers must carefully consider the addiction risk when prescribing opioid analgesics.
- Prioritizing opioids with a demonstrably lower addictive potential is recommended to reduce the public health burden of opioid addiction.
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