Reducing opioid use after surgery for older adults
Official title: The Use of Novel Linked Databasesto Reduce Postoperative Opioid Use Among Patients Undergoing Inpatient Surgery
Funded at Stanford University · NIH-10745607 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study is looking for better ways to help older adults manage pain after surgery without relying too much on opioids, so they can recover safely and avoid long-term problems with pain medication.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Stanford University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Stanford, United States) |
| Project start | September 1, 2023 |
| Project end | August 31, 2025 |
| Funding year | 2023 |
| Award (this year) | $1,105,489 |
| NIH project number | 1R61DA059168-01 |
| Project ID | NIH-10745607 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for this research are older adults who are scheduled for inpatient surgical procedures.
✕Less likely to help
Patients who are not undergoing surgery or are younger than the typical older adult demographic may not benefit from this research.
What this research studies
This research investigates ways to minimize the use of opioids among older adults who undergo inpatient surgery. It aims to identify effective perioperative interventions that can reduce the risk of persistent postoperative opioid use and opioid use disorder. By linking comprehensive datasets, the study will analyze the impact of various pain management strategies on long-term opioid outcomes. The focus is particularly on older patients, who are at a higher risk for complications related to opioid use.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could lead to safer pain management practices that significantly reduce opioid dependency among older surgical patients.
How similar studies have gone: Previous research has shown promising results in reducing opioid use through various perioperative interventions, indicating that this approach has potential for success.
Where this research is happening
-
Stanford University
Stanford, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Sun, Eric — Stanford University
- Study coordinator: Sun, Eric
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About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.