Prescribing opioid medications can be problematic due to potential for dependence and misuse. Therefore, care must be taken to prescribe safely and appropriately to minimise associated harms.
Opioid medications that may be prescribed in general practice include morphine, fentanyl, methadone, oxycodone, tramadol, codeine and dihydrocodeine.
Opioid analgesic overuse and dependence is a growing problem in Australasia and internationally. Opioid dependence tends to be a chronic relapsing disorder with significant associated morbidity and mortality.
