PRACTICE RECOMMENDATIONS 1. Patients who abuse opioids should be managed without judgement; addiction is a medical condition and not a moral failing. Caregivers should endeavor to meet patients “where they are,” infusing empathy and understanding into the patient/medical provider relationship. 2. Every emergency clinician should be well-versed in the safe injection of heroin and other…

PRACTICE RECOMMENDATIONS 1. All emergency departments should implement ALTO programs and provide opioid-free pain treatment pathways for the following conditions: a. Acute on chronic opioid-tolerant radicular lower back pain b. Opioid-naive musculoskeletal pain c. Migraine or recurrent primary headache d. Extremity fracture or joint dislocation e. Gastroparesis-associated or chronic functional abdominal pain f. Renal colic…

RACTICE RECOMMENDATIONS 1. Opioids are inherently dangerous, highly addictive drugs with significant abuse potential, numerous side effects, lethality in overdose, rapid development of tolerance, and debilitating withdrawal symptoms. They should be avoided whenever possible and, in most cases, initiated only after other modalities of pain control have been trialed. 2. Prior to prescribing an opioid,…

The Emergency Medical Minute proudly presents an educational podcast series sponsored by the Colorado Hospital Association addressing our the United States’ opioid epidemic.