How Would You Manage Opioid Use in These Three Patients?

The increase in overdose deaths from prescription opioids and heroin in the United States over the past 20 years is believed to have resulted from increases in prescription of opioids for management of acute and chronic pain. Managing chronic pain is challenging for primary care clinicians for many reasons, including the lack of evidence to guide practice. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention published a comprehensive guideline in 2016 to help clinicians with opioid prescribing for chronic pain. In this Grand Rounds, the guideline is reviewed and an expert discusses its application to 3 patients prescribed opioids to treat chronic pain.