Generic Vicodin Most Widely Prescribed Drug

Generic Vicodin (aka hydrocodone acetaminophen) is the most widely prescribed drug for Medicare beneficiaries, according to recently released data.

More than half of the prescriptions for the powerful painkiller came from family-practice or internal-medicine physicians. These two specialties represent about a quarter of the nearly 1 million prescriptions represented in data from Medicare’s 2103 prescription drug program.

The findings reflect the years-long increase in the use of opioid painkillers in the United States. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, nearly 2 million Americans either abused or were dependent on opioids in 2013.

Harshal Kirane, MD, director of Addiction Services at Staten Island University Hospital, says pain management presents a challenging clinical dilemma for primary care practitioners.

“The benefits of pain relief and improved quality of life have to be weighed against risks for abuse, addiction, and diversion,” said Dr. Kirane. “This study highlights the prolific level of opioid prescribing in the U.S. and strongly suggests that prescribing practices stand to be closely evaluated.”

When making the decision to prescribe opioid pain medications, primary care providers are often confronted with limited time and information. They also tend to be influenced by patient expectations.

Dr. Kirane said there are a variety of screening tools that can enhance the prescribing process and lower the risk of opioid abuse.

He urged that at-risk patients not be denied access to appropriate pain management. Instead, potential opioid abusers need to have their treatment monitored, such as through urine drug screens and review of the New York State prescription drug database to check on a patient’s prescription history.

“In parallel, non-opioid medications and non-pharmacologic interventions (i.e. physical therapy, massage, yoga, meditation, etc.) can be immensely beneficial,” Dr. Kirane said.

“A key force to shifting the epidemic of opioid addiction on Staten Island is in the education of patients and physicians, alike.”