Treating chronic pain in older individuals and balancing analgesia and adverse effects in this population, which is often afflicted with multiple comorbidities, is challenging. This program reviews the assessment and nonpharmacologic treatment of chronic pain in patients aged 65 years and older. This activity is supported by an independent educational grant from the Opioid Analgesic REMS Program Companies. Please see https://ce.opioidanalgesicrems.com/RpcCEUI/rems/pdf/resources/List_of_RPC_Companies.pdf for a listing of REMS Program Companies. This activity is intended to be fully compliant with the Opioid Analgesic REMS education requirements issued by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

This activity will discuss the epidemiology and pathophysiology of acute and chronic pain, patient assessment, assessment of risk for opioid-related aberrant behaviors, nonpharmacologic approaches to pain management, and non-opioid analgesics. Please note that any data, indications, and guidelines presented in this activity are current as of the recording on 3/19/2020 and they are subject to change as new information is published.

This activity will review the general principles of opioid prescribing, key concepts including misuse, abuse, tolerance, physical dependence, opioid use disorder, adverse effects and metabolism of opioids, and instructions for safe storage and disposal. Please note that any data, indications, and guidelines presented in this activity are current as of the recording on 3/19/2020 and they are subject to change as new information is published.

This activity will discuss initiating opioids in acute and chronic pain, long term management of patients on opioid therapy, patient counseling, and fundamentals of addiction medicine. Please note that any data, indications, and guidelines presented in this activity are current as of the recording on 3/19/2020 and they are subject to change as new information is published.