The extent and correlates of community‐based pharmaceutical opioid utilisation in Australia

Abstract

Substantial geographic variation in opioid utilisation was identified, with areas outside of major cities having higher rates of utilisation of all types of opioids. Prescription monitoring and best practice interventions aimed at improving opioid use need to have a particular focus on areas outside of major cities. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

A 15‐year overview of increasing tramadol utilisation and associated mortality and the impact of tramadol classification in the United Kingdom

“…There might be some variations in patient characteristics and prescriber clinical decision making between practices in CPRD and NHS Digital dispensing data. In fact, geographic variation in opioid prescribing has been found in the USA and Australia, and it is possible that the interpretation and application of policy varied between practices in different regions.…”

An ecological study of the extent and factors associated with the use of prescription and over-the-counter codeine in Australia

“…These data include all opioid purchases made through pharmaceutical wholesalers and manufacturers who sold direct to pharmacies in the 2013 calendar year, representing over 94 % coverage of the Australian market [3]. This study focused on codeine items (both prescription and OTC preparations) sold in the community, representing approximately 5450 pharmacies in operation across Australia between 2013 and 2014 [24], and excluded codeine items supplied in hospitals.…”

“…In Australia, codeine is one of the most widely used prescription opioids [2], and in 2013 alone, sales of unit packs of codeine far exceeded that of all other opioids, accounting for almost two thirds of all opioid packs sold [3]. Primarily indicated for use as a cough suppressant or analgesic, guidelines generally suggest that codeine has a limited role in the management of chronic pain conditions [4]; however, it is recommended to be used alone, or in combination with simple analgesics such as paracetamol or nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), prior to initiating stronger opioids in acute pain conditions [4].…”

Prescribing wellness: comprehensive pain management outside specialist services

“…1 This presents a major challenge because of the number of patients involved -over 15 million packs of over-the-counter opioid analgesics were purchased in Australia in 2013, accounting for 36.6% of total opioid pack sales. 2 Chronic pain is defined as pain lasting beyond the time of tissue healing or for over three months. 3 Almost half of GP consultations involve some discussion of pain, usually relegated behind comorbidities such as obesity and diabetes or psychiatric and substance-use disorders.…”