Healio (2/19, Leiser) reports, “Certain social determinants and psychological factors may elevate a person’s risk for new persistent opioid use after surgery, according to a systematic review and meta-analysis.” Researchers found that “enrollment in Medicaid and preoperative use of benzodiazepines – widely prescribed to treat anxiety disorders, insomnia and seizures – both correlated with 77% higher odds for new persistent opioid use.” People “with mood disorders and anxiety also exhibited elevated risk.” The findings were published in Pain Medicine.
Related Links:
— “‘Valuable insights’: 4 factors may raise risk for new persistent opioid use after surgery,”Mark Leiser, Healio, February 19, 2026