Medicines and the Kidneys

Improving function is a key goal of persistent pain treatment. Achieving this requires patients to engage in self-management strategies built on an understanding of pain that addresses psychological and social factors and minimises use of pain medicines, particularly opioids.

Medicines can provide many benefits to treat and prevent health problems, but they come with risks. Medicines that were once helpful when first prescribed, may no longer be helpful or become unsafe. By assessing cumulative medicine risk, utilising Medicines Reviews and initiating deprescribing, GPs can take action to reduce medicine related harm and improve the health outcomes of their patients.