Activity Overview

Persistent pain is a common problem of the older population. As the older population steadily grows, pain management is poised to become an increasingly vital facet of healthcare. Clinicians are faced with several challenges in treating the aging and older patient, in whom pain is more likely to be inadequately assessed and undertreated. Older individuals, because of numerous comorbidities, on average also take multiple medications, increasing the potential for medication errors, drug-drug interactions, and increased adverse effects. In addition, many older patients with chronic pain experience depression and anxiety, further complicating optimal pain management, functionality, and general quality of life. Added to this mix are such other concerns and obstacles as the myth that pain is a natural part of aging, and the increased sensory and cognitive impairments experienced by many older patients. Another complication is the unjustified and irrational fear, both on the part of healthcare providers and patients, of using opioid analgesics, among the most effective therapeutic agents in managing various chronic and persistent pain disorders, because of the possibility of misuse and addiction to these drugs.

The National Initiative on Pain Control^® (NIPC^®), with the help of nationally recognized experts in the field of pain management, has designed an interactive, case-based educational activity that will address these issues by

• Examining the key challenges related to pain management in the older patient
• Determining appropriate assessment steps and techniques that will lead to proper diagnosis of persistent pain in the older patient
• Reviewing common comorbidities and age-related physiologic changes that may present in the aging patient
• Dispelling the common myths associated with occurrence of pain in the elderly
• Identifying the various classes of drugs available for treating pain in the aging patient
• Understanding the concept of combining multiple classes of therapeutic agents based on complementary mechanisms of action, drug-drug interactions, and side-effect profiles
• Identifying prescribing practices that permit rational opioid therapy in the elderly patient
• Learning about the new and emerging therapeutic strategies in treating aging patients with pain and improving functionality and quality of life