The impact of opioid use on human and health care costs in surgical patients

Preoperative narcotic use impacts hospital cost and outcomes in surgical patients, but the underlying reasons are unclear.A single-center retrospective analysis was performed on surgical patients admitted with intestinal obstruction (2010-2014). Patients were grouped into active opioid and nonopioid user cohorts. Active opioid use was defined as having an opioid prescription overlapping the date of admission. Chronic opioid use was defined by...