Peri-operative Pain Management in Chronic Opioid Users and Unhabituated Patients

Abstract

Opiates are prescribed for the treatment of acute, terminal, or chronic non-terminal pain. The use and potential abuse of prescription opiates have become widespread, and physicians increasingly encounter patients with a history of opiate use. Prevention, assessment, and treatment of post-operative pain are challenges for health providers and systems. Strategies such as a multimodal pain management approach may be particularly beneficial for improving post operative pain management in both chronic opioid users and unhabituated patients.