Journal of Urgent Care Medicine

AAP Offers Guidelines for Pediatric Opioid Prescribing

The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) has issued its first clinical practice guideline on prescribing opioids for outpatient acute pain management in children, published in Pediatrics. The guideline recommends using immediate-release opioids at the lowest dose for age- and weight-appropriateness, with an initial supply of no more than 5 days unless the pain is due to trauma or surgery requiring longer treatment. Codeine and tramadol should not be prescribed to children under 12, adolescents with …

Managing Cough Without Codeine in the Urgent Care Setting

Urgent message: Opioid prescribing and opioid-related deaths have risen during the COVID-19 pandemic. Although supported by the CHEST Diagnosis and Management of Cough and NICE COVID-19 guidelines, it is time to reevaluate the appropriateness of using codeine in suppressing cough. Megan Penner, PharmD and Hojung Jang, PharmD Candidate CLINICAL SCENARIO A 54-year-old female with a past medical history of diabetes, hypertension, and depression presents to the urgent care center with congestion, nasal discharge, fatigue, and …

Should Reproductive-Age Women Receive Opioids?

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention notes that use of opioids in pregnant women can lead to birth defects, suggesting that alternatives for pain management of severe pain should be considered. In addition, more thought needs to be given about the wisdom of providing opioids to women who are of childbearing age and not using birth control. However, a study published in Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report found that opioids are prescribed to over …