View Larger Image Pharmacist Dr. Corey Hayes and colleagues found that higher opioid doses did not bring more pain relief—but did increase the risk of harmful side effects. (Photo by Jeff Bowen)
Pharmacist Dr. Corey Hayes and colleagues found that higher opioid doses did not bring more pain relief—but did increase the risk of harmful side effects. (Photo by Jeff Bowen)

Study: Higher opioid doses fail to lessen pain

By Chadley Uekman

| Increasing chronic pain patients’ opioid prescription doses does not seem to improve pain, according to a VA study. Researchers from the Central Arkansas and Minneapolis VA health care systems and three universities looked at prescribing data of more than 50,000 VA patients taking opioids. They found that patients who had their opioid dosage increased did not have meaningful improvements in pain, compared with patients who continued to take the same dose.  Learn more