Administer non-opioid oral analgesic medications. If opioids are required, controlled-release oxycodone is preferred.

Non-opioid oral analgesic medications provide additive pain management thereby reducing opioid requirements and associated side effects, which are associated with increased postoperative morbidity and length of stay after hip and knee surgery. Acetaminophen and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are exemplar medications for multimodal non-opioid oral analgesia. Individual patient risk factors should be considered before NSAID and Acetaminophen administration including bleeding risk, gastrointestinal ulcers, cardiovascular problems, aspirin-induced asthma, kidney disease, and liver disease. In general, NSAIDs are not associated with increased perioperative bleeding. Glucocorticoids and ketamine are also valid alternatives to opioids in hip and knee replacement surgery. If opioids are required to facilitate transition to a non-opioid oral analgesic medication regimen, controlled-release oxycodone is preferred as it is associated with reduced length of stay, improved patient tolerance, and faster return to independence compared with pain management with a PCA pump. Gabapentinoids are not recommended as an analgesic adjunct as there is a lack of evidence associating gabapentinoids with reduced pain.
SNOMED_CT Problem=22253000(PB0024); SNOMED_CT Cat-Tar=18629005 (CG0002, TG0033)

  • medication administration

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