Pain Management in the Elderly: Strategies to Manage Opioid-Induced Side Effects
Activity Overview:
Approximately 49% to 84% of elderly patients in nursing homes have persistent pain. About 25% of the elderly in nursing homes have pain on a daily basis, and 41.2% continue to report moderate-to-severe pain at assessments 6 months later. Pain is a common complaint of the elderly and pain management in this population presents several challenges. As is the case in the use of any medications in the elderly, older adults are likely to have an increased risk of adverse reactions to pharmacologic agents used to manage pain. One of the goals of opioid therapy is to maintain a favorable balance between analgesia and side effects. Unrelieved side effects can reduce quality of life, negating benefits derived from pain control. Understanding the incidence, severity, and mechanisms of side effects can help physicians implement an optimal management plan.
This activity will address the impact of opioid-induced side effects on quality of life, review the importance of appropriate pain management, and identify novel agents under development that may help alleviate these adverse effects. Evidence-based strategies to appropriately manage pain and related side effects will also be discussed and explored.
Target Audience:
This activity is designed for senior care consultant pharmacists.
Educational Objectives:
After completing this activity, participants will be able to do the following:
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Demonstrate increased awareness of:
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Use improved evidence-based strategies to appropriately manage pain and related side effects.
Accreditation and Credit Designation:
 The Bimark Center for Medical Education (BCME) is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE) as a provider of continuing pharmacy education (No. 799).
This activity is approved for 1.5 hours (0.15 CEUs) of continuing education credit in states that recognize ACPE-accredited providers. The ACPE Universal Program number for this activity is 799-000-08-001-H01-P. Pharmacists should only claim credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity. Please complete the posttest at the end of this activity.
Unlabeled/Unapproved Uses Notice:
In accordance with BCME policy, the audience is advised that one or more presentations in this continuing education activity may contain references to unlabeled or unapproved uses of drugs or devices.
Instructions for Obtaining Credit:
To receive credit, participants must complete an online evaluation form and pass the online posttest. After passing the posttest, you can view, print, and track your statements of credit online. There is no fee to participate in this activity.
Initial Release Date: April 22, 2008
Expiration Date: April 22, 2009
Commercial Support:
This activity is supported by an educational grant from Wyeth.
Program Faculty:
Harlan Martin, RPh, CCP, FASCP
President
Pharma-Care, Inc.
Clark, NJ
Peter Koo, PharmD, FCSHP, DAAPM
Clinical Professor of Pharmacy
Pharmacist Specialist, Pain Management
Departments of Clinical Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Services
University of California San Francisco
San Francisco, CA
Richard G. Stefanacci, DO, MGH, MBA, AGSF, CMD
Executive Director
University of the Sciences in Philadelphia Health Policy Institute
Philadelphia, PA
Faculty Disclosure:
It is the policy of BCME to require the disclosure of any financial relationships or other relationships that a faculty member has with the manufacturers of any commercial products or providers relevant to the topics or therapeutic areas being discussed.
Harlan Martin, RPh, CCP, FASCP
Research Grant Support: Eli Lilly and Company
Consultant: Forest Laboratories, Inc., Eisai Inc., Pfizer Inc., Boehringer Ingelheim GmbH, Janssen, L.P.
Speakers Bureau: Forest Laboratories, Inc., Pfizer Inc., Ortho Biotech Products, L.P., Janssen, L.P.
Major Stock Holder: Amgen Inc., Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd.
Peter Koo, PharmD, FCSHP, DAAPM
Advisory Board: Adolor Pharmaceuticals, Wyeth Pharmaceuticals
Richard G. Stefanacci, DO, MGH, MBA, AGSF, CMD
Speaker Bureau: Pfizer Inc., Ortho McNeil Pharmaceutical, Inc., Abbott Laboratories, GlaxoSmithKlein plc, AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals, L.P., Forest Laboratories, Inc., Merck & Co., Inc., Daiichi Sankyo, Inc., Par Pharmaceutical Companies, Inc., Eisai Inc.
Consultant: New Courtland Elder Services, Eisai Inc., Pfizer Inc., sanofi-aventis U.S. LLC., Amgen Inc.
Advisory Board: Pfizer Inc., Eisai Inc., Janssen, L.P., Solvay Pharmaceuticals, Takeda Pharmaceuticals, North America, Inc.
Grants: American Society of Consultant Pharmacists, sanofi-aventis U.S. LLC., Amgen Inc.
Staff Disclosure:
BCME staff members and reviewers involved in clinical content development have no relevant financial relationships to disclose.
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