One in three people who take prescription painkillers show signs of addiction, according to a major analysis.
The study, which involved more than 4.3 million adults with chronic pain, found that nearly one in 10 people who took opioids became dependent on them.
Experts said this suggested the scale of the problem was much larger than feared and called for stricter prescribing guidelines.
Opioids, such as codeine, morphine, oxycodone, and tramadol, can provide highly effective pain relief when used short-term.
However, when used for long periods they can lead to dependency, physical and mental health problems or even death from accidental overdose or heart conditions as a result of side effects.
One-third of patients studied showed signs of opioid dependence, while 12 percent were at risk of developing opioid use disorder.
Researchers at the University of Bristol analysed 148 studies involving more than 4.3 million adult patients with chronic pain treated with prescription opioid painkillers.
They divided them into four categories, depending on how the studies defined problematic opioid use.
Nearly one in ten patients were found to have a formal diagnosis of opioid dependence and use disorder.
Nearly one in three (30 percent) showed signs and symptoms of opioid use disorder and dependence, such as craving, tolerance or withdrawal.
According to findings published in the journal Addiction, one in five cases (22%) involved aberrant behavior (such as seeking early refills, repeated dosage increases, or frequently missing prescriptions).
According to the researchers, about 12 percent were at risk for opioid dependence and use disorder.
Lead author Kyla Thomas, Professor of Public Health Medicine at the University of Bristol, said: ‘Clinicians and policy makers need a more accurate estimate of the prevalence of problematic opioid use in pain patients so they can measure the true extent of the problem, change prescribing guidelines if necessary, and develop and implement effective interventions to manage the problem.
Purple Rain singer Prince suffered from severe pain for several years before his death and hundreds of painkillers were found in his home. In 2018, his family filed a lawsuit against his doctor, alleging he failed to properly treat the star’s opioid addiction.
“Knowing the magnitude of the problem is a necessary step in managing it.”
Most of the studies involved patients in North America between 2010 and 2021, although the UK is also grappling with prescription drug addiction.
Last year, the NHS issued new guidelines aimed at reducing the inappropriate prescribing of painkillers and other addictive drugs, which cost the health service around £500m a year.
Reduced opioid prescriptions by half a million, from 5.68 million to 5.23 million, following a campaign to reduce the use of addictive and potentially harmful drugs.
The Mail has been campaigning for greater recognition of the prescription drug addiction crisis since 2017.
An NHS England spokesperson said: “When used appropriately, medicines can help provide life-changing treatment for patients. It’s important to be aware of the potential risks of dependence and withdrawal from certain medicines, including opioids, which is why our personalised care framework sets out guidance for tackling problematic opioid use.
‘Any decision to prescribe a medicine should be made between the prescriber and the patient and, if necessary, patients should be supported when a medicine no longer provides the intended benefit.’
