Are Opioids Agitating? A Data Analysis of Baseline Data from the STAN Study

 Agitation, a common dementia symptom often arising from untreated pain, lacks comprehensive research on its connection with opioids prescribed for long-term pain. This study investigated the relationship between opioid use and agitation in dementia patients. Participants (  = 188) were categorized...

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Published in:JAD reports 2024-01, Vol.8 (1), p.1297-1300
Main Authors: Lesage, Myriam, Cinalioglu, Karin, Chan, Sabrina, Kumar, Sanjeev, Rajji, Tarek, Melichercik, Ashley, Desjardins, Carmen, Friedland, Jess, Burhan, Amer, Colman, Sarah, Chu, Li, Davies, Simon, Derkach, Peter, Elmi, Sarah, Gerretsen, Philip, Graff-Guerrero, Ariel, Hussain, Maria, Ismail, Zahinoor, Kim, Donna, Krisman, Linda, Moghabghab, Rola, Mulsant, Benoit H, Pollock, Bruce G, Rostas, Aviva, Van Bussel, Lisa, Rej, Soham
Format: Article
Language:English
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Short Communication
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Summary: Agitation, a common dementia symptom often arising from untreated pain, lacks comprehensive research on its connection with opioids prescribed for long-term pain. This study investigated the relationship between opioid use and agitation in dementia patients. Participants (  = 188) were categorized into opioid, acetaminophen PRN, or no-pain medication groups. Despite higher reported pain levels in the opioid group, no significant differences in agitation were observed among the groups. In conclusion, opioid use for pain management in older adults with dementia did not significantly impact agitation, emphasizing the ongoing importance of proper pain management in improving dementia care and addressing agitation in this population.
ISSN:2542-4823
2542-4823
DOI:10.3233/ADR-240025