High Costs Due To Increased Fracture Risks With Opioids

Main Category: Pain / Anesthetics
Also Included In: Bones / Orthopaedics;  Pharmacy / Pharmacist
Article Date: 01 Aug 2007 - 1:00 PDT

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Opioids are widely used for many chronic pain conditions, but have been shown to increase fracture risks. However, fracture risks are lowest with buprenorphine compared to other opioids, such as tramadol, morphine, fentanyl and oxycodone.

A recent study evaluated the costs related to opioid-induced fractures in Germany, considering treatment costs of hip, spine and forearm fractures and number of patients at risk in Germany.

Additional annual costs for the treatment of fractures that could be saved when prescribing buprenorphine were calculated to be € 0.5 billion from the point of view of the German statutory health insurance and even € 1.0 billion from the broader perspective of the German social security.

The researchers of the recent study state that these results might even represent an underestimation, because subsequent fractures, which are often seen after hip and spine fractures, were not included in the cost evaluation.

The different fracture risks of the various opioids have not yet been commonly considered, but should be taken into account not only because of the enormous costs for the treatment of the fractures but also because of the burden for the patient.

This study and others were presented at the International Society for Pharmacoeconomics and Outcomes Research (ISPOR) 12th Annual International Meeting in Arlington, Virginia and published in the journal Value in Health 10(3).

Value in Health is the official journal of the International Society of Pharmacoeconomics and Outcomes Research (ISPOR).
Value in Health (ISSN 1098-3015) publishes papers, concepts, and ideas that advance the field of pharmacoeconomics and outcomes research and help health care leaders to make decisions that are solidly evidence-based. The journal is published bi-monthly and has a regular readership of over 3,000 clinicians, decision-makers, and researchers worldwide.

ISPOR is a nonprofit, international organization that strives to translate pharmacoeconomics and outcomes research into practice to ensure that society allocates scarce health care resources wisely, fairly, and efficiently.

ABSTRACT

http://www.ispor.org