Low Kidney Function Raises Risks Associated With Prescription Opioids

People who have poor kidney function and who use prescription opioids have a higher risk of death and hospitalization than people with poor kidney function who used other non-opioid pain medications. Individuals with chronic kidney disease (CKD) who need pain medications are often prescribed opioids due to concerns about kidney toxicity from medications such as non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). However, CKD results in slower excretion of opioids, which puts people with CKD at higher risk of adverse outcomes to opioids than people without CKD taking the same opioid dose.

People with normal kidney function who received 60 . . .