Opioids, Pain Management, and Substance Use Disorder: A Practical Overview

This activity includes interactive patient cases.

Program Description

There are different classifications and types of pain, and because pain is subjective, it can be difficult to adequately treat. This interactive activity will outline validated assessments pharmacists can use to document patients’ reported pain to ensure patients are being managed with appropriate therapies. As members of the patient’s care team, pharmacists must promote responsible pain management. Considerations for the clinical use of opioids, their receptor targets, and indications will be reviewed, in addition to safety and efficacy of non-opioid treatment modalities. Management strategies and counseling points for pharmacists to reduce opioid-related adverse effects as well as prevent misuse and abuse of opioids will also be discussed. This activity features opportunities for interactive participation through patient case examples.

Target audience: Pharmacists

Type of activity: Application
Release date: February 14, 2025
Expiration date: February 14, 2027

Time to complete activity: 2.0 hours

Learner level: Foundational
Fee: Free

Educational Objectives

At the completion of this activity, participants will be able to:

• Apply risk mitigation strategies for opioid prescribing and dispensing given a real or simulated patient scenario
• Employ equianalgesic dosing tables to recommend opioid therapy dosing
• Identify a patient who is at risk for either opioid use disorder or opioid overdose