National utilization of transdermal fentanyl among community-dwelling older people in Finland
January 28th, 2010 Posted by: admin
Publication year: 2009
Source: The American Journal of Geriatric Pharmacotherapy, Volume 7, Issue 6, December 2009, Pages 355-361
J., Simon Bell , Timo, Klaukka , Jouni, Ahonen , Sirpa, Hartikainen
Background: The use of opioids has increased rapidly in Europe and North America, and older people may be susceptible to opioid-related adverse drug events. The Finnish National Agency for Medicines has recommended that oral opioids be considered the first-line treatment when a strong opioid is required for severe pain.Objective: The objective of this study was to investigate and describe the age-, indication-, sex-, and geographic-specific utilization of transdermal fentanyl among older people residing in noninstitutional settings in Finland.Methods: Reimbursement data for fentanyl, morphine, oxycodone, and hydromorphone were extracted from the Finnish National Prescription Register for 2008. Age-specific population data were…
