Category: Adverse Drug Events

The Role of Nonpharmacological Approaches to Pain Management: Proceedings of a Workshop (2019)

National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine

Pain is a leading cause of disability globally. The dramatic increase in opioid prescriptions within the past decade in the United States has contributed to the opioid epidemic the country currently faces, magnifying the need for longer term solutions to treat pain. The substantial burden of pain and the ongoing opioid crisis have attracted increased attention in medical and public policy communities, resulting in a revolution in thinking about how pain is managed. This new thinking acknowledges the complexity and biopsychosocial nature of the pain experience and the need for multifaceted pain management approaches with both pharmacological and nonpharmacological therapies.

National Action Plan for Adverse Drug Event (ADE) Prevention; Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion (ODPHP)

The ADE Action Plan addresses a defined group of ADEs that are considered to be common, clinically significant, preventable, and measurable; resulting from high-priority drug classes; and occurring largely in high-risk populations. Three key drug classes identified as initial targets for the ADE Action Plan include; Anticoagulants (primary ADE of concern: bleeding), Diabetes agents (primary ADE of concern: hypoglycemia), and Opioids (primary ADE of concern: accidental overdoses, oversedation, respiratory depression).

Quality Improvement (QI) and Care Coordination; Implementing the CDC Guideline for Prescribing Opioids for Chronic Pain

Centers for Disease Control (CDC)

Intended to help healthcare systems integrate the Guideline and associated quality improvement (QI) measures into their clinical practice. Offers primary care providers, practices, and healthcare systems a framework for managing patients who are on long-term opioid therapy.

CDC Guideline for Prescribing Opioids for Chronic Pain

Centers for Disease Control (CDC)

Provides recommendations for the prescribing of opioid pain medication for patients 18 and older in primary care settings. Recommendations focus on the use of opioids in treating chronic pain (pain lasting longer than 3 months or past the time of normal tissue healing) outside of active cancer treatment, palliative care, and end-of-life care. The guideline addresses patient-centered clinical practices including conducting thorough assessments, considering all possible treatments, closely monitoring risks, and safely discontinuing opioids.