Tuesday, March 6, 2012

Many vets with PTSD prescribed opioid painkillers

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Veterans of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars who are treated for pain are more likely to get very strong painkillers if they also have mental health problems, including post-traumatic stress disorder, according to a new study. That's worrisome, researchers said, because some people who take opioids -- which include OxyContin and Vicodin -- abuse the drugs or overdose on them, and those who already have mental troubles may be most at risk. "There's really been a culture of, 'Let's get rid of pain,' and I think unfortunately that pendulum may have swung too far," said ... Continue reading...

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