What conclusion can be drawn if a patient reports running out of their opioid medication early and has no other prescriptions?

The conclusion that the patient may have used heroin recently is drawn from the context of opioid use and potential dependence. If a patient reports running out of their prescribed opioid medication early, it could suggest behaviors associated with misuse, such as taking higher doses than prescribed or seeking an alternative substance. Heroin, being an illicit opioid, may become a substitute for the prescribed medication if a patient finds themselves without sufficient access to their medications.

In considering the other options, stockpiling medications would imply that the patient is keeping extra doses rather than running out early, which does not fit the scenario. Seeking more medications suggests an active pursuit of prescriptions from doctors, but in this case, the patient has only one prescription and no other sources of medication. Experiencing withdrawal could be a result of early termination of medication use, but withdrawal alone does not explain the report of running out early nor the possibility of using heroin as a result. The combination of these factors leads to a more logical deduction that the patient may have turned to heroin as a means to cope with the absence of their prescribed opioids.