title: An assessment protocol to guide opioid prescriptions for patients with chronic pain.
abstract: Despite advances in pain management research and technology, physicians are constantly challenged by patients with chronic pain who appear to require narcotics to function. This article assists physicians in making appropriate decisions regarding when to start long-term opioid therapy. The concept of a triage system will also be introduced to help in identifying high-risk patients and offer recommendations and appropriate referral for these patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anesthesiology, Washington University Pain Management Center, St. Louis, USA. guarinoa@wustl.edu
authors.forename: Anthony H
authors.initials: AH
authors.lastname: Guarino
authors.forename: Jennifer C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Myers
mesh_terms: D000701:Analgesics, Opioid / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002908:Chronic Disease; D002985:Clinical Protocols; D006801:Humans; D010146:Pain / Q000188:drug therapy*; D010147:Pain Measurement; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic; D010818:Practice Patterns, Physicians' / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D011320:Primary Health Care
chemical_list: D000701:Analgesics, Opioid