An investigational oral formulation of extended-release (ER) oxycodone/acetaminophen (MNK-795) has significantly lower measures of drug liking, drug high, and good drug effects if the medication is tampered with than comparable doses of Percocet, based on study findings presented at PAINWeek 2013.
Work-ups of pain patients with insomnia should include assessments of the analgesics the patients are taking as well as their comorbidities, especially psychological issues, Michael T. Smith, PhD told attendees at PAINWeek 2013.
Medicinal cannabis is a better choice than opioids when standard first-line pain medications have failed to relieve chronic pain, according to a presentation given by Gregory T. Carter, MD, MS at PAINWeek 2013.
Opioid safety can be a significant problem in hospitals that goes largely unrecognized and unaddressed, said Kevin L. Zacharoff, MD, to attendees of PAINWeek 2013.
Attempts to reduce opioid overdose risk by limiting prescriptions to less than 100 mg per day may have limited impact Angela DeVeaugh-Geiss, PhD, and colleagues presented at PAINWeek 2013.
Project ECHO Chronic Pain Program is co-directed by Joanna G. Katzman, MD, a neurologist, and George D. Comerci, Jr., MD. Dr. Katzman, Director of the UNM Pain Center, spearheaded creation of the program “as a way to leverage scarce pain resources for primary care providers working in rural and underserved areas” where their patients had to wait many months for a specialty pain consultation.
It is not illegal to be duped, John Burke, President of the National Association of Drug Diversion Investigators told PAINWeek 2013 attendees, but it is illegal for a prescriber to continue prescribing to the scammer.
Changes in the regulatory and rhetorical climate related to the prescribing of opioid medications has left some chronic pain patients who have legitimate medical needs for these drugs “out in the cold,” pain specialist Steven D. Passik, PhD, said during his PAINWeek 2013 keynote address.
Chronic pain frequently is associated with suicide ideation, behavioral psychologist Martin D. Cheatle, PhD said in his talk at PAINWeek 2013. Clinicians must know what behaviors are suggestive of an increased risk and have action plans for interventions for patients identified as being actively suicidal or at high-risk for suicide.
Imaging studies can play an important role in zeroing in on the source of a patient’s pain, but clinical skill is still what matters most, David M. Glick, DC, Director of Neural Pain Assessment in Richmond, Virginia said at PAINWeek 2013.
