How to Wean Off Opioids

'An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.' Never was that more true than here.

STORY AT-A-GLANCE

• Guidelines for tapering off opioids recommend gradually reducing 5% to 10% of the morphine-equivalent dose every two to four weeks and switching from immediate-release opioids to extended-release on a fixed schedule

• Research shows 15% of complex surgical patients develop severe postoperative pain leading to extended use of opioids. Imple…