Opioid Use Disorder: A Qualitative Exploratory Analysis of Potential Misunderstandings in Patients with Chronic Non-Cancer Pain.

Purpose: Substance use disorders (SUD) are a challenging comorbidity in patients with chronic non-cancer pain (CNCP) as they complicate diagnosis and therapy, especially when opioids are part of the therapeutic regimen. A definite diagnosis of opioid use disorder (OUD) in patients with CNCP on long-term opioid therapy (LTOT) is a prerequisite for effective and targeted therapy but may be complicated as some criteria of OUD might be attributed to the desire of the patient to relieve the pain. For instance, the desire to increase the dose can be based on both a SUD as well as inadequate pain therapy.

[Multimorbidity and its Importance in Future Health Care in Germany: a Secondary Data Analysis Based on 67 Million Health Insurance Policy Holders].

Background: Multimorbidity is a particular challenge for health care systems. In Germany, epidemiological findings are primarily sample-based. The estimated prevalence among adults in Germany is high, but there are methodological problems, such as a lack of a uniform definition.

[Changes in Prescription Patterns of Oral Anticoagulants in Family Practices after Marketing Approval of Direct Oral Anticoagulants].

Aim Of The Study: Since 2011, non-vitamin-K-dependent oral anticoagulants (NOAC) have extended the spectrum of anticoagulation therapy. Initially, the approval of NOAC was limited to the prophylaxis of postoperative thrombosis, but in the course of time the spectrum was extended to the therapy of thrombosis and embolism as well as anticoagulation in non-valvular atrial fibrillation. The study was designed to examine how the approval of NOAC had affected the prescribing behaviour of general practitioners in the first years of their approval.

Individualized versus Standardized Risk Assessment in Patients at High Risk for Adverse Drug Reactions (The IDrug Randomized Controlled Trial)-Never Change a Running System?

The aim of this study was to compare effects of an individualized with a standardized risk assessment for adverse drug reactions to improve drug treatment with antithrombotic drugs in older adults. A randomized controlled trial was conducted in general practitioner (GP) offices. Patients aged 60 years and older, multi-morbid, taking antithrombotic drugs and at least one additional drug continuously were randomized to individualized and standardized risk assessment groups.

Correction: Rate of opioid use disorder in adults who received prescription opioid pain therapy-A secondary data analysis.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.

Rate of opioid use disorder in adults who received prescription opioid pain therapy-A secondary data analysis.

Background And Aims: Data on rates of prescription opioid use disorder (pOUD) in European countries is limited. The aim of this investigation was to analyze a representative population sample regarding the 1-year prevalence of opioid use disorder in patients who received prescription opioid pain therapy and to identify related risk factors.

Design: Cross-sectional secondary data analysis.

Risk of opioid misuse in chronic non-cancer pain in primary care patients - a cross sectional study.

Background: Efforts to improve treatment of pain using opioids have to adequately take into account their therapeutic shortcomings which involve addictiveness. While there are no signs of an "opioid epidemic" in Germany similar to that in the US, there is little data on the prevalence of prescription opioid misuse and addiction. Therefore, our objective was to screen primary care patients on long-term opioid therapy for signs of misuse of prescription opioids.

More counselling for end-of-life decisions by GPs with own advance directives: A postal survey among German general practitioners.

Background: Although general practitioners (GPs) are among the preferred contact persons for discussing end-of-life issues including advance directives (ADs), there is little data on how GPs manage such consultations.

Objectives: This postal survey asked German GPs about their counselling for end-of-life decisions.

Methods: In 2015, a two-sided questionnaire was mailed to 959 GPs.

Drug-related celebrity deaths: A cross-sectional study.

Background: Celebrities are at risk for premature mortality as well as drug-related death. Despite being a vulnerable patient group, celebrities influence people's health behaviours through biological, psychological and social processes. Therefore, celebrity endorsement of the topic could be one way to challenge the current "opioid endemic".

Quinine induced simvastatin toxicity through cytochrome inhibition - a case report.

Background: Nocturnal leg cramps are painful, involuntary muscle contractions commonly seen in elderly. While mostly harmless, they can severely impair quality of life and often disrupt sleep. Adverse drug effects may be responsible for a fraction of nocturnal leg cramps but often go unrecognized, resulting in additional prescribing intended to deal with adverse effects that might be better addressed by reduction, substitution, or discontinuation of the offending agent.

Palliative care for the elderly--developing a curriculum for nursing and medical students.

Background: Delivering palliative care to elderly, dying patients is a present and future challenge. In Germany, this has been underlined by a 2009 legislation implementing palliative care as compulsory in the medical curriculum. While the number of elderly patients is increasing in many western countries multimorbidity, dementia and frailty complicate care.