Are Opioid-Dependent/Tolerant Patients Impaired in Driving-Related Skills?
CONTEXT: Previous reviewers have concluded that opioids cause dose-related impairment in opioid-naive volunteers on psychomotor skills related to driving. Data relating to opioid-dependent/tolerant patients have not yet been reviewed. OBJECTIVES: To determine what evidence, if any, exists for or against opioid-related driving skill impairment in opioid-dependent/tolerant patients, we performed a structured evidence-based review of all available studies addressing the issue of whether opioid-dependent/tolerant patients are impaired in driving-related skills. A computer and manual literature search for studies relating to opioid-dependent/tolerant patients and driving-related skills produced 48 relevant reports. These references were reviewed in detail, sorted, and placed into tabular form according to the following subject areas: (1) psychomotor abilities studies; (2) cognitive function studies; (3) effect of opioid dosing on psychomotor abilities studies; (4) motor vehicle driving viol