OSU Study: Older Adults Risk ER Visits If Dentists Prescribe Opioids Atop Other Medications

A study from Oregon State University (OSU) found that dentists' prescription of opioid analgesics to older patients currently taking medication for depression or anxiety elevates their risk of emergency room (ER) visits and hospitalization, reports KTVZ . "There is this unfortunate opportunity for dentists to prescribe opioids for any acute or chronic pain that the older adult is having, and it may actually pose dangerous interactions for those other medications they're on and place them at greater risk of 30-day ER visits and cause hospitalizations," warned OSU Professor Jessina McGregor. The authors analyzed dental and medical data for 40,800 persons 65 and older across the United States from 2011 to 2015. Ten percent of those who were prescribed opioids by their dentist were also taking drugs that should not be taken with opioids, and were subsequently 23 percent more likely to visit the emergency department or require hospitalization within 30 days of the appointment where they received the opioid prescription. Those whose opioid prescriptions that overlapped with their current non-compatible medication for more than three days were 47 percent more likely to need acute medical care than those who were not on an unhealthy combination of drugs. These findings suggest dentists should be better integrated into electronic health records and healthcare systems in order to access patient records, and that patients should be more cognizant of the dangers of combining prescriptions and the importance of providing an accurate medication history.