Скачать или смотреть Opioids for Acute Pain? Landmark Study Challenges 30 Years of Medical Practice

For decades, opioids have been the go-to for acute pain—prescribed for everything from dental surgery to back pain. Now, the largest analysis ever conducted on the subject, led by the University of Sydney, reveals a startling truth: for most conditions, opioids offer only modest, short-lived relief—and for some, they work no better than placebo.

Published in Drugs, this sweeping review examined 59 systematic reviews covering over 50 acute pain conditions. The findings challenge long-held assumptions and could reshape prescribing practices worldwide.

Key findings:

Modest, Short-Term Relief: Opioids were slightly better than placebo for only a few conditions (stomach pain, dental surgery, ear procedures, traumatic limb pain, postpartum pain, bunionectomy)—and relief lasted just hours.

No Better Than Placebo: For many conditions (some limb surgeries, kidney stones, tonsillectomy, neonatal pain), opioids showed no benefit over placebo.

Inconsistent Results: No clear benefit for heart-related pain, hysterectomy, or topical opioid patches.

Side Effects Real: Increased risk of nausea, vomiting—and longer-term risks of tolerance, dependence, misuse, overdose.

Reporting Gap: Harms were inconsistently reported, meaning actual risks may be underestimated.

The Takeaway:
Opioids are not the "most effective" option for most acute pain. The benefits are small, short-lived, and often absent. The authors call for judicious prescribing (lowest dose, shortest duration) and better alternatives.
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