FRGS/1/2018/SKK09/UIAM/02/6/ Pattern analyzer on concomitant use of opioid and benzodiazepine in patients with chronic non-cancer pain: the rising of opioid overdose death

• Main Author: Zin, Che Suraya
• Format: Monograph
• Language: English
• Published: 2022
• Subjects: RS Pharmacy and materia medica
• Online Access: http://irep.iium.edu.my/100838/7/100838_FRGS12018SKK09UIAM026.pdf; http://irep.iium.edu.my/100838/

The practice of combining opioids and benzodiazepines has been recognized as both ubiquitous and substantial.[6] The extent to which the utilization of concurrent use of opioids and benzodiazepines and its clinical outcomes in Malaysia is unclear, but their co-prescribing presents a serious safety concern and is not well characterized. Given these uncertainties, this study was prompted to address the above-mentioned issues. The results of the preliminary study of the project that was conducted among opioid users receiving concomitant medications at an outpatient tertiary hospital setting in Malaysia showed that 12.3% of patients received co-prescriptions of opioid + benzodiazepine, 19.3% received opioid + anticonvulsant, 6.3% received opioid + antidepressant and 10.9% received other co-prescriptions, including antipsychotics and hypnotics. The individual mean opioid dose was <100 mg/d of morphine equivalents in all types of co-prescriptions, and the dose ranged from 31 to 66 mg/d in the co-prescriptions of opioid + benzodiazepine. The overall individual opioid dose in this co-prescription was moderate. Other co-medications were also commonly used, and their opioid doses were within the recommended dose.