| Podcast
Opioid therapy fairly predictably causes constipation, which can be a great source of distress for patients. Defined as a reduction in bowel movement frequency and increased straining, this adverse effect is so common that good practice dictates preventive therapies, not waiting to see if it...
| Article
The risk of opioid induced respiratory depression (OIRD), especially among elderly patients, may be even more pronounced than previously thought, according to findings from a new study published online this week in the journal Anesthesiology. The study reports that a single dose of oxycodone taken...
| Podcast
Step right up and receive all the updates on alternative routes of administration to the oral and intravenous route. In this lively session the pharmacology of rectal, sublingual, topical, and subcutaneous routes of opioid therapy in the setting of palliative care will be discussed. For each...
| Podcast
There are over 16,000 deaths per year associated with opioid induced respiratory depression and overdose. These occur in the substance abuse population and also in chronic pain patients who are legitimately receiving opioids. This interactive lecture will review unexpected and unanticipated risks of...
| Podcast
For decades, the concept of morphine equivalent daily dosage (MEDD) or some variant thereof has been routinely utilized clinically (eg, for opioid rotation) as well as in research as a dependent variable. However, recently, the concept has been demonstrated to be a scientifically invalid course...
| Podcast
Controversies continue to exist regarding safe and appropriate management of people with chronic pain. The "pendulum has swung in the other direction" with respect to the utility, safety, and efficacy of the use of opioids as a key component of chronic pain treatment. It seems to be unclear to many...
| Podcast
In February 2016, President Obama expressed his compassion for people with pain loud and clear, saying, "If we go to doctors right now and say 'Don't overprescribe' without providing some mechanisms for people in these communities to deal with the pain that they have or the issues that they have...
| Podcast
Effective pain management has been deemed a human right, but some chronic pain patients perceive that to mean they are entitled to opioid analgesics for prolonged pain control. In response to these expectations, providers may feel pressured to say "Yes" and continue prescribing opioids, thereby...
| Podcast
Many patients receiving opioids will need to be switched from one opioid to another during therapy or at least from one dosage formulation or route of administration to another. During this session, practitioners learn to recognize clinical situations in which opioid switching would be appropriate...
| Podcast
On September 16, 2015, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) hosted a public webinar where they revealed a draft of their 12 prescribing guidelines for chronic pain. Due to technical difficulties, the entire process was repeated the following day. Concerns over the way the guidelines...