Preoperative Smoking and Narcotic, Benzodiazepine, and Tramadol Use are Risk Factors for Narcotic Use After Hip and Knee Arthroplasty

This study suggests that a patient's preoperative narcotic, tramadol, benzodiazepine, and tobacco use are correlated to the amount of postoperative narcotic prescriptions filled in the 3 months following surgery. Predisposition to substance abuse may be a characteristic which leads to increased postoperative narcotic use.