Table 3.
Medications at admission, at discharge, and dose adjustments. All admissions
| Medication | Patients using drug at admission n (%) |
Patients using drug at discharge n (%) |
Patients with dose adjustments during hospitalization a n (%) |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oral pain medications | Paracetamol | 265 (58.8) | 254 (56.3) | 62 (13.7) |
| NSAIDs b | 8 (1.8) | 10 (2.2) | 5 (1.1) | |
| Codeine and tramadol | 23 (5.1) | 14 (3.1) | 14 (3.1) | |
| Morphine | 109 (24.2) | 99 (22.0) | 88 (19.5) | |
| Oxycodone | 113 (25.1) | 83 (18.4) | 72 (16.0) | |
| Methadone | 3 (0.7) | 3 (0.7) | 1 (0.2) | |
| Adjuvant pain medications c | 52 (11.5) | 50 (11.1) | 23 (5.1) | |
| Patch | Fentanyl | 10 (2.2) | 9 (2.0) | 4 (0.9) |
| Subcutaneous pain medications | Morphine | 83 (18.4) | 144 (31.9) | 126 (27.9) |
| Oxycodone | 32 (7.1) | 48 (10.6) | 48 (10.6) | |
| Hydromorphone | 8 (1.8) | 12 (2.7) | 9 (2.0) | |
| Miscellaneous medications | Antidepressants | 76 (16.9) | 76 (16.9) | 21 (4.7) |
| Anxiolytics | 168 (37.3) | 221 (49.0) | 104 (23.1) | |
| Corticosteroids | 244 (54.1) | 283 (62.7) | 170 (37.7) | |
| Laxatives | 312 (69.2) | 315 (69.8) | 139 (30.8) | |
| Antiemetics | 238 (52.8) | 265 (58.8) | 99 (22.0) | |
| Hypnotics | 130 (28.8) | 140 (31.0) | 30 (6.7) |
aNumber of patients with dose adjustments was calculated for each drug/type of drug. Adjustments include drug initiation, dose increments, dose reductions, and drug discontinuation
bNSAIDS nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs
cE.g., anticonvulsants or antidepressants used as pain medication