Analysis of Postsurgical Pain Management Finds Opioid-Related Adverse Events Drive Longer Hospital Stays, Greater Cost and Higher Likelihood of Readmission
Retrospective Study Published in
“Based on a review of a large, nationally representative patient sample,
we were able to correlate and quantify the impact of opioid-related
adverse events on the length and cost of hospitalization after surgery,”
said
In this retrospective analysis, researchers utilized the Premier
healthcare alliance database, the nation's most comprehensive repository
of clinical, financial and outcomes information, in order to identify
adult patients who underwent common soft tissue and orthopedic surgical
procedures and received opioids from
Researchers compared differences in LOS, overall hospital cost and readmission rate between the patients who experienced an ORAE (approximately 12 percent of the sample) and those who did not. Key findings demonstrated that patients experiencing an ORAE:
- Were hospitalized 3.3 days longer than patients without an ORAE (7.6 days vs. 4.2 days, P<0.0001)
-
Had a
$4,707 mean increase from the baseline hospitalization cost compared to patients without an ORAE ($22,077 vs.$17,370 , P<0.0001) - Had a significantly greater 30-day, all-cause readmission rate (15.8 percent vs. 9.4 percent, P<0.0001) compared to patients without an ORAE
“For years, we’ve had clinical evidence about the prevalence of
opioid-related adverse events, particularly in certain patient
populations, as illustrated by the recent Joint Commission Sentinel
Event Alert that detailed the risk for respiratory depression
among specific patient types,” said
The research was supported by
About Pacira
About EXPAREL®
EXPAREL (bupivacaine liposome injectable suspension) is indicated for single-dose infiltration into the surgical site to produce postsurgical analgesia. The product combines bupivacaine with DepoFoam, a proven product delivery technology that delivers medication over a desired time period. EXPAREL represents the first and only multivesicular liposome local anesthetic that can be utilized in the peri- or postsurgical setting in the same fashion as current local anesthetics. By utilizing the DepoFoam platform, a single dose of EXPAREL delivers bupivacaine over time, providing analgesia with reduced opioid requirements for up to 72 hours. Pivotal studies have demonstrated the safety and efficacy of EXPAREL in patients undergoing bunionectomy or hemorrhoidectomy procedures and additional studies are underway to further demonstrate the safety and efficacy in other procedures. Additional information is available at www.EXPAREL.com.
Important Safety Information
EXPAREL is contraindicated in obstetrical paracervical block anesthesia. EXPAREL has not been studied for use in patients younger than 18 years of age. Non-bupivacaine-based local anesthetics, including lidocaine, may cause an immediate release of bupivacaine from EXPAREL if administered together locally. The administration of EXPAREL may follow the administration of lidocaine after a delay of 20 minutes or more. Other formulations of bupivacaine should not be administered within 96 hours following administration of EXPAREL. Monitoring of cardiovascular and neurological status, as well as vital signs should be performed during and after injection of EXPAREL as with other local anesthetic products. Because amide-type local anesthetics, such as bupivacaine, are metabolized by the liver, EXPAREL should be used cautiously in patients with hepatic disease. Patients with severe hepatic disease, because of their inability to metabolize local anesthetics normally, are at a greater risk of developing toxic plasma concentrations. In clinical trials, the most common adverse reactions (incidence greater-than or equal to 10%) following EXPAREL administration were nausea, constipation, and vomiting.
Please see the full Prescribing Information for more details available at http://www.exparel.com/pdf/EXPAREL_Prescribing_Information.pdf.
Source:
Pacira Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
James S. Scibetta, 973-254-3570
or
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