Rising oxycodone prescriptions rates among older Australians has led experts to issue a raft of recommendations for GPs and pharmacists to reduce imprudent prescribing and misuse of those medications.
A study published in the Medical Journal of Australia revealed that internationally, Australia’s per capita consumption of oxycodone was high, ranking third.
While morphine prescriptions had declined, oxycodone prescriptions significantly increased around 152 per cent from 2002 to 2008.
The rise in oxycodone prescriptions was highest among older Australians, with an annual 33-fold increase per 1000 people among in 70 to 79 year olds, most commonly receiving low-dose formulations.
Treatment episodes for oxycodone also increased and 465 oxycodone-related deaths were recorded between 2001 to 2009....
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