Pharmacological management of pain in older persons.
OBJECTIVE
Evaluate the efficacy and safety of pharmacological pain management treatments to minimize adverse events and optimize pain relief.


METHODS
Symposium presentation based on clinical practice and research and current clinical guidelines.


CONCLUSIONS
Pain is a common problem among elderly long-term care residents and is vastly undertreated. Even when pain medication is prescribed, often residents do not receive the most appropriate drug, or prescribers fail to adjust the dose and frequency of administration to tailor therapy to the individual's compromised physiology and needs. This places elders at risk, for not only unnecessary suffering, but also for drug toxicity. Consultant pharmacists are in a key position to identify underuse and inappropriate use of analgesic drugs and assist prescribers with individualizing each resident's medication regimen to provide optimal therapeutic outcomes.
Robinson
Polly
P
Southwestern Oklahoma State University, College of Pharmacy, Weatherford, Oklahoma, USA. polly.robinson@sjmc.org
D000368:Aged; D000700:Analgesics / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D003253:Consultants; D006801:Humans; D008134:Long-Term Care / Q000379:methods; D010146:Pain / Q000188:drug therapy*; D010147:Pain Measurement; D010595:Pharmacists / Q000458:organization & administration; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic; D010818:Practice Patterns, Physicians' / Q000592:standards*; D024382:Professional Role
D000700:Analgesics