Mitigating and preventing perioperative opioid-related harm

Although necessary for treatment of acute pain, opioids are associated with significant harm in the perioperative period and further intervention is necessary perioperatively to mitigate opioid-related harm.

Opioid-naive patients are often first exposed to opioids when undergoing surgery, which can result in significant harm. Despite their benefits in reducing acute postsurgical pain, they are also associated with risks ranging from mild (e.g., pruritis, constipation, nausea) to potentially catastrophic (e.g. opioid-induced ventilatory impairment, respiratory depression, death). Overprescribing of opioids can lead to opioid diversion and drug driving. In this review, we will discuss opioid-related harm and what strategies can be used perioperatively to mitigate this harm. Interventions such as optimizing nonopioid analgesia, implementing Enhanced Recovery after Surgery programs, effective respiratory monitoring, patient education and opioid stewardship programs will be discussed.

We will review policy and guidelines regarding perioperative opioid management and identify challenges and future directions to mitigate opioid-related harm.