Researchers discovered patients prescribed opioids for pain management can experience more difficulty with chronic wounds than individuals who are not taking opioid-based medications.

Victoria Shanmugam, MD, associate professor of medicine at the George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences, and a team of researchers analyzed 450 patients with chronic wounds. Data was collected relating to pain, opioid exposure and overall size of wounds. Researchers discovered a significant link between opioid dose and overall surface area of wounds.

"Opioid analgestics are commonly prescribed to patients with chronic wounds, but until now, little to no research had been done to determine the relationship between opioid treatment and wound healing," said Shanmugam. "It seems that exposing patients to opioids may impact ultimate wound outcome. More work needs to be done to understand this finding and the possible mechanisms driving it. We look forward to continuing this research, which may lead to faster healing and improved patient outcomes. Finding ways to improve healing of chronic wounds will have an enormous effect on patients and the healthcare system.”

The study was published in Wound Repair and Regeneration. Chronic wounds cost an estimated $25 billion annually.

"Finding ways to improve healing of chronic wounds will have an enormous effect on patients and the healthcare system," Shanmugam said.