Pain

Question 1

___ are the preferred modes of treatment for chronic pain

Answer 1

Nonpharmacologic therapy and nonopioid pharmacologic therapy are the preferred modes of treatment for chronic pain

Question 2

Before ever beginning a patient on opioid therapy, . . .

Answer 2

. . . clinicians should establish treatment goals with all patients, including realistic goals for pain and function, and should consider how opioid therapy will be discontinued if benefits do not outweigh risks.

Clinicians should continue opioid therapy only if there is clinically meaningful improvement in pain and function that outweighs risks to patient safety.

Question 3

If the decision is made to start a patient on opioid therapy, the first opioids given should be ___.

Answer 3

If the decision is made to start a patient on opioid therapy, the first opioids given should be immediate-release at the lowest effective therapeutic dose, NOT long-acting.

Question 4

When perscribing opioids needed for acute pain, you should as a rule of thumb never perscribe more than __.

Answer 4

When perscribing opioids needed for acute pain, you should as a rule of thumb never perscribe more than three days worth.

Question 5

Urine testing for opioid therapy

Answer 5

When prescribing opioids for chronic pain, clinicians should use urine drug testing before starting opioid therapy and consider urine drug testing at least annually to assess for prescribed medications as well as other controlled prescription drugs and illicit drugs.

Question 6

Clinicians should avoid prescribing opioid pain medication and ___ concurrently whenever possible.

Answer 6

Clinicians should avoid prescribing opioid pain medication and benzodiazepines concurrently whenever possible.