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That's true also for the use of over-the-counter painkillers like ibuprofen and naproxen, and other non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) like Celebrex (celecoxib). Guidelines written and published by the American Geriatrics Society warned against using these drugs chronically and at moderate-to-high doses in patients age 75 or older with persistent pain. Citing the many risks of long-term NSAID use, including fatal ulcers and gastrointestinal bleeding, increased risk of heart attack and stroke and dangerous interactions with other drugs commonly prescribed to the elderly, the American Geriatrics Society suggested that seniors try acetaminophen instead...
Paradoxically, the findings suggest that the use of opioids could even help prevent addiction by reducing the risk of a psychological condition that is known to lead to substance misuse. "PTSD is so devastating, and it increases the likelihood of addiction," says Volkow. "I think it's definitely worth investigating...
...while the risk of opioid addiction in the elderly is low, there are other cautions. A study published in January by Von Korff and colleagues linked high-dose opioid use to a doubling of the risk of broken bones in the elderly. "One-third of these were hip and pelvic fractures," Von Korff says. "These can really be debilitating." The authors speculate that the patients may have been prone to falls caused by dizziness or sedation, side effects of drug treatment that tend to occur early in a new drug regimen or when dosage changes...
Potential to Treat Psychological Pain One of the most intriguing new findings regarding opioid use came out of a study including 696 Navy and Marine troops who were injured in combat in Iraq between 2004 and 2006. Published in the New England Journal of Medicine in January, the study found that soldiers who were given morphine during resuscitation and treatment for physical trauma were half as likely to develop posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) as those who did not get the drug. (See the top 10 medical breakthroughs...
Better Treatment Regimens Needed Over the past few decades, researchers have made strides in understanding the treatment of certain kinds of pain. Relieving acute pain from trauma or surgery, for instance, reduces immediate suffering, but also speeds healing and reduces complications; the short-term use of opioids in the hospital is known to be safe and effective. (See Dr. Mehmet Oz's prescription for living long and living well...