Developing an Effective Treatment Plan: Opioid- and Nonopioid-based Treatment Options for Acute and Chronic Pain Management

Pain is a significant public-health problem, affecting more than 100 million adults in the US and causing significant reductions in patient quality of life. The use of narcotic medications for pain management has increased dramatically in the US over the past two decades. However, pain patients are often undertreated due to a variety of physician- and patient-related concerns and barriers.

Despite the pain-relieving properties of opioids, the potential for misuse, abuse, and addiction remains a concern. In response to these apprehensions, the FDA developed the Risk Evaluation and Mitigation Strategy (REMS) to ensure the benefits outweigh the risks with opioid treatments. The FDA also developed the Blueprint for Prescriber Education (FDA Blueprint) in July 2012. The FDA Blueprint was recently updated to include more information on pain management, such as components of an effective treatment plan, nonpharmacologic treatments for pain, pharmacological treatments for pain (nonopioid and opioid analgesics), and a primer on addiction medicine.

Developing an Effective Treatment Plan: Opioid- and Nonopioid-based Treatment Options for Acute and Chronic Pain Management, incorporates the updated FDA Blueprint into education designed to translate improved clinician knowledge and confidence into enhanced care and improved quality of life for patients with acute and chronic pain.

EDUCATIONAL OBJECTIVES - At the conclusion of this activity, participants should be able to demonstrate the ability to:

- Describe components of an effective treatment plan, such as treatment goals, patient interactions, and collaboration with the healthcare team
- Compare and contrast the individualized benefits and risks to initiating non-medication therapies before considering long-term medications
- Identify patients who are candidates for treatment with nonopioid analgesics
- Justify a rational decision to initiate long-term opioid analgesics, including ER/LA opioids, with consideration to providing in-home naloxone
- Categorize risk factors and vulnerabilities associated with addiction to opioid analgesics