Resource Location: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1z6uX9TKvBCA3Oct8nC94fpP-Keb4TdNR/view?usp=drive_link
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Clinical Practice Guideline for Prescribing Opioids for Pain, 2022, when initiating opioid therapy clinicians should prescribe immediate-release (IR) opioids instead of extended-release and long-acting (ER/LA) opioids, which are slower acting medications with a longer duration of pain relieving action.
This guide provides definitions for opioid naïve and tolerant, identifies key differences between IR and ER/LA opioids, guides transitioning from IR to ER/LA, offers treatment pearls including opioid tapering algorithms, patient education and opioid disposal, provides comprehensive tables for commonly used IR and ER/LA opioids, and includes a morphine milligram equivalent conversion table.