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Related Experiment Videos

Drug utilization patterns in chronic pain patients.

Judith A Turner1, Donald A Calsyn, Wilbert E Fordyce

  • 1University of Washington Pain Center, Departments of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, RP-10, Rehabilitation Medicine, and Anesthesiology, University of Washington, School of Medicine, Seattle, Wash. 98195, U.S.A. Veterans Administration Medical Center, VA Outpatient Clinic, 1520 Third Avenue, Suite 200, Seattle, Wash. 98191 U.S.A.

Pain
|April 1, 1982
PubMed
Summary

Chronic pain patients using narcotic and sedative medications reported greater physical impairment and higher healthcare utilization. This highlights the need for careful medication management in pain clinics.

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Area of Science:

  • Pain Medicine
  • Psychiatry
  • Clinical Psychology

Background:

  • Excessive and inappropriate medication use is common in chronic pain patients.
  • Multidisciplinary pain clinics manage complex pain conditions.
  • Understanding patient medication patterns is crucial for effective treatment.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To compare chronic pain patients based on their use of addicting medications (narcotics and sedatives).
  • To identify differences in clinical characteristics and healthcare utilization among patient groups.
  • To explore the relationship between medication use and symptom reporting.

Main Methods:

  • Cross-sectional study of 131 chronic pain patients at multidisciplinary clinics.
  • Categorization of patients into three groups: no addicting medication, narcotic-only, and narcotic-sedative medication users.

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  • Comparison of demographic, clinical, and self-reported data, including pain-related hospitalizations, surgeries, medication costs, physical impairment, and MMPI scores.

    • Main Results:

    • Patients using narcotic and/or sedative medications had significantly more pain-related hospitalizations and surgeries than those using no addicting drugs.
    • The narcotic-sedative group reported higher monthly pain medication expenses, greater physical impairment, and elevated MMPI hypochondriasis and hysteria scores.
    • Findings suggest a potential link between certain medication use patterns and increased symptom reporting.

    Conclusions:

    • Medication patterns, particularly the use of both narcotics and sedatives, are associated with higher healthcare utilization and greater perceived impairment in chronic pain patients.
    • The study supports the hypothesis that some patients may exhibit a heightened tendency to report and seek help for physical symptoms.
    • These findings underscore the importance of comprehensive assessment and tailored management strategies for chronic pain patients with complex medication profiles.