Mastectomy may raise risk of persistent use of opioids, sedative-hypnotics

Reuters Health - 11/12/2020 - Women with breast cancer who undergo mastectomy and reconstructive surgery may be at risk of becoming persistent users of opioids and sedative-hypnotic drugs, according to a new study. "I hope that our study can increase awareness that these are addictive medications, and a brief exposure for surgery-related pain or anxiety can lead to long-term use," Dr. Jacob Cogan said in a news release from the virtual 2020 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium where he presented the data. "Both patients and providers should be aware of this issue, and of the risk factors that elevate an individual patient's risk," added Dr. Cogan, a hematology/oncology fellow at NewYork-Presbyterian/Columbia University Irving Medical Center in New York. Using a healthcare claims database, the researchers studied women who underwent mastectomy and reconstruction between 2008 and 2017. They identified prescriptions for opioids and sedative-hypnotics during the p...

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Posted on 11 December, 202015 December, 2020