PHM-12 - Under the Volcano: Pain Management in Special Populations

Pain management can be challenging when selecting therapeutic drug regimens for patients such as the elderly and those with hepatic and renal impairment. Understanding how pharmacokinetics can be affected in these clinical situations is necessary to ensuring effective analgesia. This session will review the clinical implications with the individualized aspects of pain, drug metabolism, potential drug interactions, and preferential pharmacologic treatment options with the use of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), adjuvant analgesics, and opioids for special patient populations. Attendees will learn to select, implement, and optimize an appropriate pharmacotherapeutic regimen for these sensitive patient groups while minimizing the risk for adverse effects.