Table 2.
Rate of Exposure, Route of Administration, and Average Dose of Opioids Received, Overall and by Opioid (N = 1,139,419)
| Exposed n (%)* |
Parenteral administration n (%)† |
Oral administration n (%)† |
Dose received in oral morphine equivalents mean (SD)‡ |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
| All opioids | 576,373 (51%) | 378,771 (66%) | 371,796 (65%) | 68 (185) |
| Morphine | 224,811 (20%) | 209,040 (93%) | 21,645 (10%) | 40 (121) |
| Hydrocodone | 162,558 (14%) | 0 (0%) | 160,941 (99%) | 14 (12) |
| Hydromorphone | 146,236 (13%) | 137,936 (94%) | 16,052 (11%) | 113 (274) |
| Oxycodone | 126,733 (11%) | 0 (0%) | 125,033 (99%) | 26 (37) |
| Fentanyl | 105,052 (9%) | 103,113 (98%) | 641 (1%) | 64 (75) |
| Tramadol | 35,570 (3%) | 0 (0%) | 35,570 (100%) | – – |
| Meperidine | 24,850 (2%) | 24,398 (98%) | 515 (2%) | 36 (34) |
| Methadone | 15,302 (1%) | 370 (2%) | 14,781 (97%) | 337 (384) |
| Codeine | 22,818 (2%) | 178 (1%) | 22,183 (97%) | 9 (15) |
| Other§ | 45,469 (4%) | 5,821 (13%) | 39,618 (87%) | – – |
Abbreviations: SD = standard deviation
Percentages exposed to different opioids add up to more than total receiving any opioid since patients may be exposed to more than 1 opioid during their hospitalization
Denominator is the number exposed. Percentages may add up to less than or greater than 100% owing to missing route information or receipt of both parenteral and oral routes, respectively
On days in which opioids were received. Charges for tramadol, “other” category opioids, oral fentanyl (0.7% of fentanyl charges), and epidural route opioids (3.5% of fentanyl charges, 0.1% of morphine charges, and 0.1% of hydromorphone charges) were not included in dosage calculations due to lack of standard conversion factor to morphine equivalents. Charges with missing dose were also excluded (2% of total remaining opioid charges)
Includes the following opioids: buprenorphine, levorphanol, oxymorphone, pentazocine, propoxyphene, tapentadol, butorphanol, dezocine, and nalbuphine