Opioid Prescription Rates Higher Among Some People With Disabilities
When adults with spina bifida and cerebral palsy get prescribed opioids, they’re given much higher doses on average than people without these pediatric-onset neurodevelopmental disorders, a new study suggests.Chronic pain is a common symptom of both cerebral palsy and spina bifida, and adults with these conditions often take multiple daily medications. One previous study, for example, found individuals with cerebral palsy and other neurodevelopmental disabilities were 2.4 times more likely to take at least five daily medicines than people without these conditions.When one or more of these medications is an opioid such as oxycodone, hydrocodone, or tramadol, patients can be at increased risk for addiction, overdose, psychiatric issues, and breathing problems, says lead study author Mark Peterson, PhD, an associate professor of physical medicine and rehabilitation at the University of…