Risk factors for cardiopulmonary and respiratory arrest in medical and surgical hospital patients on opioid analgesics and sedatives.

Opioids and sedatives are independent and additive predictors of CPRA in both medical and surgical patients. Receiving both classes of medications further exacerbates the risk of CPRA for these patients. By identifying groups at risk among medical and surgical in-hospital patients, this study provides a step towards improving our understanding of how to use opioid and sedative medications safely, which may influence our treatment strategies and outcomes. More precise monitoring of selected high-risk patients may help prevent catastrophic cardiorespiratory complications from these medications. As a retrospective administrative database analysis, this study does not establish the causality or the temporality of the events but rather draws statistically significant associations between the clinical factors and outcomes.