Resumo: Introduction: Pain is an unpleasant sensation with a significant potential to decrease people's quality of life. Chronic pain has a prevalence of almost 30% of Brazilian elderly and reaches 50% in developed countries. Thus, as the process of chronic pain in the world worsens, there is an increase in the use of opioids and, with that, the progressive loss of the functional capacity of these individuals. The objective of the present study was to recognize the prevalence of mortality and disability. Material and Methods: This study was carried out using the Global Health Data Exchange (GHDx) database, which is a database collected and analyzed by a consortium of more than 3,600 researchers in more than 145 countries. Analyzed data from four countries (developed and emerging) in America comparing the periods of 1990 and 2019. Results and Discussion: Comparing the prevalence of opioid use between 1990 and 2019 in Canada, USA, Brazil and Argentina, it is possible to verify a significant increase in values. Regarding mortality, we can observe that in 1990 the mortality in Canada was 352.48 and in 2019 it was 1,866.68, in the USA the value of 4,352.16 in 1990 advances to 47,336.67 in 2019, in Brazil the rate was 37.49 in 1990 and 132.75 in 2019 and in Argentina the value went from 14.45 to 48.16 in 2019. Considerations: This study demonstrated through numerical data the increase in the use of opioids in important countries of America in its various aspects, from its prevalence of use to the number of deaths caused by the abusive and indiscriminate use of these drugs. The study should encourage managers, physicians and patients to adopt new behaviors and care considering the use of opioids. Keywords: opioids, chronic pain, functional disability. Expandir Resumo Acessar Texto Completo

Resumo: Introduction: Opioids belong to a class of drugs used as analgesics for acute and chronic pain, are classified as natural, semi-synthetic and synthetic. They are prescribed in the treatment of postoperative pain and chronic when there is no response of common or weaker analgesics being effective in painful managements, however the use indiscriminately rings several health risks both physical and psychological. Review: From the methodology, 34 articles were selected because they were in accordance with the theme. This is a systematic literature review the search was done through the Google Academic and Scientific Electronic Library Online databases. Discussion: They are drugs widely administered for their powerful and rapid action, however, the adverse effects of opioids are also common, among them: respiratory depression, constipation, itching, drowsiness and nausea/vomiting. Prescribing opioids consciously and rationally is still a challenge for trained health professionals. Final considerations: Pharmacists may contribute to adequate prescriptions of opioids also understanding the needs of access to opioids so more research on pain and the disorder of the abuse of these drugs is essential, constant reinforcement in the education of prescribers and guarantee access to effective treatments of these medicines. Keywords: toxicological effects, opioids, indiscriminate use. Expandir Resumo Acessar Texto Completo