Side effects from oral opioids in older adults during the first week of treatment for acute musculoskeletal pain.

Objective: The authors sought to describe the frequency of short-term side effects experienced by older adults initiating treatment with opioid-containing analgesics for acute musculoskeletal pain.

Methods: This was a cross-sectional study of individuals age 65 years or older initiating analgesic treatment following emergency department (ED) visits for acute musculoskeletal pain. Patients were called by phone 4 to 7 days after their ED visits to assess the intensity of six common opioid-related side effects using a 0 to 10 scale and to assess medication discontinuation due to side effects. Propensity score matching was used to compare side effects among patients initiating treatment with any opioid-containing analgesics to side effects among those initiating treatment with only nonopioids.

Results: Of 104 older patients initiating analgesic treatment following ED visits for musculoskeletal pain, 71 patients took opioid-containing analgesics, 15 took acetaminophen, and 18 took ibuprofen. Among the patients who took opioids, at least one side effect of moderate or severe intensity (score ≥ 4) was reported by 62%. Among patients with matching propensity scores, those taking opioids were more likely to have had moderate or severe side effects than those taking only nonopioids (62%, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 48% to 74% vs. 4%, 95% CI = 1% to 20%) and were also more likely to have discontinued treatment due to side effects (16%, 95% CI = 8% to 29% vs. 0%, 95% CI = 0% to 13%). The most common side effects due to opioids were tiredness, nausea, and constipation.

Conclusions: Among older adults initiating treatment with opioid-containing analgesics for musculoskeletal pain, side effects were common and sometimes resulted in medication discontinuation.