New Activites:

SR0953 — Parenteral Therapies for Multimodal Postoperative Analgesia

Despite the availability of a variety of pain medications and multiple means of providing analgesia, evidence continues to point to suboptimal pain management in the postoperative setting. Combining analgesics with different mechanisms of action aids the patient in the perioperative setting by targeting more than one pain pathway; this provides additional analgesia and perhaps synergistic pain-relieving effects. A multimodal approach to postoperative pain would provide effective analgesia, reduce opioid-related side effects, and improve clinical outcomes, such as length of hospital stay, morbidity, and mortality.

Credit available for physicians, pharmacists and other healthcare professionals

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SR0960 — Clinical Urine Drug Testing During Opioid Therapy: A Case-Based Approach to Patient Monitoring

According to the recent recommendations from the American Pain Society and American Academy of Pain Medicine, implementing a risk management strategy with opioid therapy will allow the physician to take the patient's history and physical examination into account when administering opioids, while frequently monitoring outcomes using strategies such as urine drug testing (UDT). Given the complexities associated with drug screening, physicians need to have an understanding of how to interpret test results. This activity provides pain-treating physicians with up-to-date information and practical case examples to illustrate the implementation and utility of UDT and monitoring in patients with chronic noncancer pain (CNCP) who are receiving long-term opioid therapy.

Credit available for physicians and other healthcare professionals

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PG0922 — for Individuals With Schizophrenia In Correctional Settings And Beyond

Schizophrenia is a complex, life-shortening, and frequently debilitating neuropsychiatric disorder characterized by early onset, high comorbidity rates, poor medication adherence, significant morbidity, and a relapsing-remitting course that often includes hospitalization. Approximately 2.4 million adults in the United States have schizophrenia, representing a substantial public health burden, including annual economic costs estimated at $62.7 billion. In criminal justice systems, approximately 10% to 15% of all inmates have serious mental health disorders, and the absolute number has increased dramatically in the past 2 decades. These individuals present further challenges to health care provision because of site-specific obstacles related to incarceration, relapse, and community reentry. A paucity of data specific to these issues and this population, coupled with attendant increases in prison release rates, calls for education about the pharmacologc and nonpharmacologic management of incarcerated individuals with schizophrenia.

Credit available for physicians, nurses, psychologists, and other healthcare professionals

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PG0923 — Chronic Pain In Perspective Recent Evidence and Clinical Implications

Chronic pain affects approximately 10% to 20% of patients in primary care. Among the most common chronic pain conditions are low back pain, osteoarthritis, fibromyalgia, and diabetic peripheral neuropathic pain. Morbidity in chronic pain is high, including lower quality of life and increased fatigue, and comorbidities are common, including depression, anxiety, and sleep disturbances. The costs to society in lost productivity and increased health care utilization are great. Thorough assessment is needed to determine the best approach to managing a patient with chronic pain, along with careful consideration of pharmacologic and nonpharmacologic treatment options. These tasks have become more complex as the pathophysiology of pain has become better understood, new therapies have become available, and new guidelines have been published. Clinical education is needed to guide clinicians in assessing and managing patients with chronic pain so that therapeutic outcomes are improved.

Credit available for physicians and other healthcare professionals