Opioid Analgesics and the Risk of Fractures in Older Adults with Arthritis

Abstract

Older people with arthritis who initiate therapy with opioids are more likely to experience a fracture than those who initiate NSAIDs. For the first 2 weeks after initiating opioid therapy, but not thereafter, short-acting opioids are associated with a greater risk of fracture than are long-acting opioids.