Herzig SJ, Anderson TS, Jung Y, et al. - Older adults with an opioid claim in the week after hospital discharge were compared with those with NSAID claims only with respect to the incidence and risk of post-discharge adverse events. The medications are prescribed for the treatment of pain on hospital discharge.

• Using records from the largest payer for healthcare in the US, researchers conducted a retrospective cohort study of a national sample of Medicare beneficiaries age 65 and older, hospitalized in the US hospitals in 2016.

• Analysis revealed a higher risk for death, healthcare utilization, falls/fractures, nausea/vomiting, and complications related to constipation among older adults filling an opioid prescription in the week after hospital discharge vs those filling an NSAID prescription.

• The groups did not differ in the risk of acute renal failure and upper gastrointestinal complications.

• Overall, there appeared a correlation of using NSAIDs with fewer medication-related harms to older adults after discharge from the hospital.