Opioid analgesics, also known as painkillers, are an important type of medicines used in the management of pain. Despite their established benefit in acute pain, their usefulness in chronic pain has been questioned. While they bring relief to those with moderate to severe pain they also carry inherent risks that, when used in vulnerable populations or when combined with sedative-hypnotics, increase the possibility of serious complications such as opioid induced pain, addiction and death.