Patients on Antidepressants During TJA May Be More Likely to be Prescribed, Abuse Opioids .

Patients taking antidepressant medications during total joint arthroplasty (TJA) may be more likely to receive opioid prescriptions or develop patterns associated with opioid misuse following surgery. The findings suggest that underlying mental health conditions, pain perception, and postoperative coping mechanisms may influence analgesic requirements and prescribing trends in this population. As opioid stewardship remains a major focus in arthroplasty care, these results highlight the importance of comprehensive perioperative assessment that includes psychological and behavioral health factors. Enhanced monitoring, multimodal pain management strategies, and coordinated postoperative support may help optimize recovery while reducing the risk of prolonged opioid use after joint replacement surgery.