Prophylaxis for opioid-induced constipation in elderly long-term care residents: a cross-sectional study of Medicare beneficiaries.

Background: Opioid analgesics are effective therapeutic agents for malignant and nonmalignant pain, but their use is often compromised by unwanted adverse effects on the central nervous system and gastrointestinal (GI) tract. These adverse effects include sedation, respiratory depression, nausea and vomiting, reduction in biliary and pancreatic secretions, decreased GI motility, increased GI transit time, and subsequent constipation.

Objective: The goal of this study was to determine national estimates of laxative use, with and without concurrent opioids, in the long-term care (LTC) population and to determine factors associated with laxative underuse among elderly LTC residents receiving opioids.