Introduction:

The pain associated with alterations of the musculoskeletal system should be frequently treated by the specialist in Orthopedics. Non-opioid analgesics are the most prescribed drugs in this medical service although they are not always used appropriately according to the principles of national prescription.

Objective:

To characterize the use of non-opioid analgesics in the orthopedics service of the Dr. Salvador Allende Hospital.

Material and Methods:

A descriptive study of the use of prescription-indication medications and therapeutic scheme was conducted. Medical records of 70 patients admitted to the orthopedics service of the Dr. Salvador Allende Hospital during the period between September 2018 and January 2019 were reviewed.

Results:

The female sex and a mean age of 71.3 years with standard deviation of 22,2 years predominated in the study. The most frequently used analgesics, which were indicated in the treatment of fractures, cellulitis and pseudarthrosis, were dipyrone, diclofenac and paracetamol. In all cases, the doses used were adequate, but not the administration intervals or the duration of treatment.

Conclusions:

The predominance of the prescription of non-opioid analgesics with a good benefit-risk ratio is encouraging. However, the presence of irrational prescriptions regarding administration intervals and duration of treatment indicates a deficit in analgesic therapy that should not be ignored.

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