In an article for DoctorWeighsIn, Michael Wong, JD, discusses why opioids don’t just cause harm on the “street”. Opioids can kill people in hospital too!
Much of the public attention on the opioid-epidemic has been focused on the harm caused by prescription use and abuse of opioids. However, there is another facet that must be focused on: opioid-induced respiratory depression in clinical settings.
ECRI Institute has repeatedly issued warnings in its annual report on health technology hazards about undetected opioid-induced respiratory depression (OIRD). In ECRI’s 2017 report, ECRI ranked OIRD as the fourth greatest technology threat.
To read the complete article on DoctorWeighsIn, please click here.