Opioid analgesics are essential for the control of moderate to severe pain, which is a quality parameter in hospital care. Objective: to describe the use and indication of opioid analgesics in the hospitalized population of the San José Hospital in Bogotá DC in February 2014. Materials and methods: a retrospective study of drug use (MUS) in 559 patients over 16 years of age, measuring doses hospital defined (DDD / DHD) and opioid distribution pattern according to specialty, ICD10 diagnosis, use of validated pain assessment tools, opioid concomitance and interconsultation to the pain unit. Results: the main reasons for hospitalization were non-oncological and oncological surgical pathology with 73.7% and 8.4%. The most commonly used opioid was tramadol with 15.4 DDD / 100 beds / day. The consumption of morphine and parenteral hydromorphone is low with 2 and 1.3 DDD / 100 beds / day. Of the strong opioids, morphine is the most widely used, with general surgery, hematology and orthopedics being the main prescribers with 27.4%, 20.4% and 20.4%. The distribution of morphine in the population groups of each specialty is heterogeneous, presenting greater use in hematological patients with 39.1%. The scales of pain assessment at hospital admission and discharge were used in 48.6% and 5.1%. Conclusion: Institutional pain management guidelines should be strengthened. There is little adherence to the use of pain scales as a parameter of follow-up of analgesic therapy. Educational strategies will be created for the adequate management of pain.