High-Risk Prescribing

By Editorial Staff

Unfortunately, we're faced with two harsh realities in today's health care world: all medications, be they prescription or over the counter, come with some degree of health risk; and too many people are taking too many medications for health issues that could be otherwise managed with drug-free, conservative care.

Opioids are among the high-risk medications in the news for the past several years, but despite public awareness and national guidelines, their use has yet to be sufficiently curtailed. That's particularly concerning when we consider the pediatric population. According to new research, a whopping 50 percent of opioid prescriptions administered to children and young adults (age 21 and younger) are considered high risk, meaning they exceed the recommended dose / supply, or include a drug or drug combination not recommended for children in the first place.

Are primary care physicians to blame? Let's not exonerate them completely, but according to the study, published in Pediatrics (the research journal of the American Academy of Pediatrics), the two main culprits are surgeons and dentists. High-risk prescriptions written by these practitioners were often for acute pain (following a procedure) and exceed 3-7 days. (Per the CDC, pain prescriptions are rarely needed for more than three days; neither are prescriptions in general for more than seven days.)

Whether a surgeon, dentist, family physician or anyone else, never fill a prescription before first asking your provider these two simple questions: 1) What are the potential side effects? 2) Do I  / my child need to take it, or do drugless options exist that are equally effective (and less dangerous)? It's all about ensuring safety for you and yours – the #1 job of each and every health care provider.