Luisa M Bigal1, Kristen Bibeau2, Stephanie Dunbar3. 1. Global Health and International Comparative Government, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA. luisabig@gmail.com. 2. Global Health Outcomes and Real-World Evidence Generation, Incyte Pharma, Wilmington, DE, USA. 3. Biometrics and Data Sciences, Teva Pharmaceuticals, North Wales, PA, USA.
Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Deaths associated to tramadol, a synthetic opioid, are rising globally. Herein, we characterize prescription patterns of tramadol relative to other opioids in the USA from 2012 to 2015, by geographic region and physician specialty. RECENT FINDINGS: Data on opioid was obtained using Truven Health Analytics MarketScan for the years 2012-2015. Inclusion criteria included subjects living in the USA with ages from 12 to 64 years. Patterns of prescription of tramadol were contrasted with other prescription opioids including hydrocodone, codeine, oxycodone, oxymorphone, methadone, and fentanyl. Between 2012 and 2015, prescriptions for tramadol increased by 22.8%. The absolute rate of prescription varies considerably per region, with tramadol representing nearly 20% of opioid prescriptions in the South, which, in turn, represents nearly 50% of all prescriptions in the USA. Significant differences were seen when comparing prescribers of tramadol with other opioids (p < 0.0001). Tramadol was more frequently prescribed by family practice (40% vs. 32%) and internal medicine physicians (19% vs. 16%). Family medicine, internal medicine, and non-physician prescribers responded by 67.2% of all tramadol prescriptions in 2015. The proportion of patients receiving tramadol from non-physician prescribers increased by 56% between 2012 and 2015 (p < 0.001) IOM. Tramadol prescriptions rates have continuously increased both nationally and throughout all US regions. Important differences exist among regions and physician specialties. These results may be helpful in the creation of regional policies to monitor reasons for this increase and to avoid excessive use of tramadol.
PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Deaths associated to tramadol, a synthetic opioid, are rising globally. Herein, we characterize prescription patterns of tramadol relative to other opioids in the USA from 2012 to 2015, by geographic region and physician specialty. RECENT FINDINGS: Data on opioid was obtained using Truven Health Analytics MarketScan for the years 2012-2015. Inclusion criteria included subjects living in the USA with ages from 12 to 64 years. Patterns of prescription of tramadol were contrasted with other prescription opioids including hydrocodone, codeine, oxycodone, oxymorphone, methadone, and fentanyl. Between 2012 and 2015, prescriptions for tramadol increased by 22.8%. The absolute rate of prescription varies considerably per region, with tramadol representing nearly 20% of opioid prescriptions in the South, which, in turn, represents nearly 50% of all prescriptions in the USA. Significant differences were seen when comparing prescribers of tramadol with other opioids (p < 0.0001). Tramadol was more frequently prescribed by family practice (40% vs. 32%) and internal medicine physicians (19% vs. 16%). Family medicine, internal medicine, and non-physician prescribers responded by 67.2% of all tramadol prescriptions in 2015. The proportion of patients receiving tramadol from non-physician prescribers increased by 56% between 2012 and 2015 (p < 0.001) IOM. Tramadol prescriptions rates have continuously increased both nationally and throughout all US regions. Important differences exist among regions and physician specialties. These results may be helpful in the creation of regional policies to monitor reasons for this increase and to avoid excessive use of tramadol.
Authors: Matthew Daubresse; Hsien-Yen Chang; Yuping Yu; Shilpa Viswanathan; Nilay D Shah; Randall S Stafford; Stefan P Kruszewski; G Caleb Alexander Journal: Med Care Date: 2013-10 Impact factor: 2.983
Authors: Y Harati; C Gooch; M Swenson; S V Edelman; D Greene; P Raskin; P Donofrio; D Cornblath; W H Olson; M Kamin Journal: J Diabetes Complications Date: 2000 Mar-Apr Impact factor: 2.852
Authors: Denise Boudreau; Michael Von Korff; Carolyn M Rutter; Kathleen Saunders; G Thomas Ray; Mark D Sullivan; Cynthia I Campbell; Joseph O Merrill; Michael J Silverberg; Caleb Banta-Green; Constance Weisner Journal: Pharmacoepidemiol Drug Saf Date: 2009-12 Impact factor: 2.890
Authors: Jie Wei; Nancy E Lane; Marcy B Bolster; Maureen Dubreuil; Chao Zeng; Devyani Misra; Na Lu; Hyon K Choi; Guanghua Lei; Yuqing Zhang Journal: J Bone Miner Res Date: 2020-02-05 Impact factor: 6.741
Authors: John Ngo; David Parker; Mathew Meroney; Jasmine Mitchell; Oscar Veloz; Oliver Lee; Katherine A Cunningham; Denise Wilkes Journal: J Pain Res Date: 2020-08-25 Impact factor: 3.133
Authors: Jorge Enrique Machado-Alba; Laura Sofía Serna-Echeverri; Luis Fernando Valladales-Restrepo; Manuel Enrique Machado-Duque; Andrés Gaviria-Mendoza Journal: Pain Res Manag Date: 2020-11-20 Impact factor: 3.037