Optimizing Opioid Safety and Efficacy

The purpose of this course is to provide clinicians with the information necessary to choose the appropriate opioid agents for their patients, with a resultant improvement in patients' quality of life and compliance with prescribed treatments. In addition, members of the public may use this course to enhance their personal knowledge of the subject matter presented.


Upon completion of this course, you should be able to:


1. Define terms often used in discussion of opioid prescribing.

2. Analyze common myths related to opioid analgesic safety.

3. Recall the epidemiology of pain.

4. Outline the individual and societal impact of undertreated pain.

5. Describe risk factors for and comorbidities of chronic pain.

6. Evaluate barriers to adequate pain care.

7. Describe the endogenous opioid system and effects of opioid analgesia.

8. Discuss the classification and properties of the various mu opioid receptor full agonist agents.

9. Compare and contrast other types of opioid analgesics and antagonists.

10. Identify pharmacokinetic factors in opioid analgesic response.

11. Outline the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC's) guidelines for opioid prescribing for chronic pain.

12. Recall other general recommendations for safe and effective long-term opioid use for chronic pain.

13. Identify patient factors that affect opioid analgesic response.

14. Describe issues that affect choices regarding opioid selection, rotation, and titration.

15. Discuss the identification and appropriate treatment of opioid analgesic side effects.


This 15-hour continuing education course is available for download for professional development; if continuing education credit is desired, please see instructions included in eBook.