Alamanda VK, et al. - Researchers conducted a descriptive analysis of 31,123 adult outpatient encounters with a primary diagnosis of osteoarthritis at a large healthcare system, for determining the prevalence of opioid and benzodiazepine prescribing for osteoarthritis. In addition, they sought for risk factors for prescription drug misuse, abuse, and diversion among this population. Nearly 27% of the encounters (n=8,420) were prescribed opioids and benzodiazepines. Patients >65 years old were involved in 43% of the encounters. The most common medication prescribed was hydrocodone-acetaminophen (34.3%). Pain specialists made most of the prescriptions (53%). As greater than one in 5 patients receiving prescriptions had a risk factor for misuse, these prescriptions may pose a risk for adverse outcomes.