Management Of Noncancer Pain Research Articles

The Pharmacologic Management of Chronic Non-Cancer Pain

The Pharmacologic Management of Chronic Non-Cancer Pain

Canadian clinical practice guidelines for the use of plant-based cannabis and cannabinoid-based products in the management of chronic non-cancer pain and co-occurring conditions: protocol for a systematic literature review

IntroductionChronic pain and co-occurring disorders, such as sleep disorders, anxiety, depression, post-traumatic stress disorder and substance use disorders, are among the most common conditions for which cannabis and cannabinoid-based products...

Prescriber adherence to guidelines for chronic noncancer pain management with opioids: Systematic review and meta-analysis.

This review quantified prescriber adherence to opioid prescribing guidelines for chronic noncancer pain (CNCP). We searched CINAHL, Embase, MEDLINE, PsycINFO, the Cochrane Library, and the Joanna Briggs Institute EBP Database from inception until June 3, 2019. Studies that focused on provider adherence to opioids guidelines for CNCP in North America were eligible. Four reviewers screened studies, extracted data, and assessed study quality. Thirty-eight studies were eligible, comprising 17 cross-sectional studies (n = 11,835 providers) and 22 chart reviews (n = 22,512 patients). Survey data indicated that adherence was 49% (95% CI [40, 59]) for treatment agreements, 33% (95% CI [19%, 47%]) for urine drug testing, 48% (95% CI [26%, 71%]) for consultation with drug monitoring program, 57% (95% CI [35%, 79%]) for assessing risk of aberrant medication-taking behavior, and 61% (95% CI [35%, 87%]) for mental health screening. Chart review data indicated that the proportion of patients with documentation was 40% (95% CI [29, 51]) for treatment agreements, 41% (95% CI [32%, 50%]) for urine drug testing, 40% (95% CI [2%, 78%]) for consultation with drug monitoring program, 41% (95% CI [20%, 64%]) for assessing risk of aberrant medication-taking behavior, and 22% (95% CI [9%, 33%]) for mental health screening. Year of publication, practice guideline referenced, and risk of bias explained significant heterogeneity. No study evaluated whether nonadherence to recommendations reflected well-justified deviations to care. Adherence to guideline recommendations for opioids for CNCP is low. It is unclear whether nonadherence reflects thoughtful deviations in care. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2020 APA, all rights reserved).

Cancer survivorship and its association with perioperative opioid use for minor non-cancer surgery.

Reducing high-risk prescription opioid use after surgery has become a key strategy in mitigating the opioid crisis. Yet, despite their vulnerabilities, we know little about how cancer survivors use opioids for non-cancer perioperative pain compared to those with no history of cancer. The purpose was to examine the association of cancer survivorship with the likelihood of receiving perioperative opioid therapy for non-cancer minor surgery. Using 2007-2014 SEER-Medicare data for breast, colorectal, prostate, and non-cancer populations, we conducted retrospective cohort study of opioid-naïve Medicare beneficiaries who underwent one of six common minor non-cancer surgeries. Modified Poisson regression estimated the relative risk of receiving a perioperative opioid prescription associated with cancer survivorship compared to no history of cancer. Stabilized inverse probability of treatment weights were used to balance measurable covariates between cohorts. We included 1486 opioid-naïve older adult cancer survivors and 3682 opioid-naïve non-cancer controls. Cancer survivorship was associated with a 5% lower risk of receiving a perioperative opioid prescription (95% confidence interval: 0.89, 1.00; p = 0.06) compared to no history of cancer. Cancer survivorship was not associated with the extent of perioperative opioid exposure. Cancer survivors were slightly less likely to receive opioid therapy for non-cancer perioperative pain than those without a history of cancer. It is unclear if this reflects a reduced risk of opioid-related harms for cancer survivors or avoidance of appropriate perioperative pain therapy. Further examination of cancer survivors' experiences with and attitudes about opioids may inform improvements to non-cancer pain management for cancer survivors.

The Critical Role of Parents in Pediatric Cancer-Related Pain Management: a Review and Call to Action.

Even with optimized medical management, pain remains an inevitable part of pediatric cancer care. The most effective interventions for nonpharmacologic pain management within pediatric psychology include parent skills training. This review specifically explored the role of parents in cancer-related pain management with the goal of defining a set of evidence-based skills that could translate to improved pediatric cancer pain management. Pain is now widely understood to be both a sensory and emotional experience. As a result, within pediatric non-cancer pain management there is increasing application of the biopsychosocial model for pain management, inclusive of evidence-based psychological intervention. This review, specifically focusing on the role of parent training in cancer-related pain management, finds few interventions that systematically included parents. There is a need for continued evidence-based innovation and knowledge dissemination in this area of care. This paper highlights a critical gap in translational science within pediatric cancer pain management, namely, that parents who have a child with cancer are not reliably gaining access to well-established, evidence-based psychological skills training that can help to mitigate pain and pain-related stress. Based on the literature, the authors provide recommendations for generating adaptable, evidence-informed interventions that support and empower parents to help their child with pain management through all phases of cancer treatment.

Chronic Non-cancer Pain Management and Addiction: A Review.

The use of opioids in chronic non-cancer pain (CNCP) has been a fast-rising treatment phenomenon in the last two decades. Though opioids are advocated in various chronic pain management guidelines, their use in chronic non-cancer pain still remains controversial as evidence of this approach is still weak. This paper highlights potential adverse effects associated with opioid use in pain management, including an increase in tolerance, dependence, and addiction outcomes. Nonetheless, opioids have an important place in contemporary CNCP management for selected patients. However, pain management must involve regular monitoring and the use of a multimodal pain management strategy. It is essential that the treating physician must be up-to-date with the form of therapy so that they have the requisite confidence to prescribe opioids and effectively manage adverse effects. Moreover, the adverse effects should be treated promptly to enhance patient compliance. Since this approach is beneficial for some patients, opioid treatment should only be applied on a case by case basis.

Comparison of the Clinical Outcomes between Short-term and Long-term Opioid Users with Noncancer Pain at Pain Clinics.

ABSTRACTIntroduction:The clinical use of opioids for long-term for noncancer pain indications remains a controversy. More studies are needed for evidence-based guidelines in noncancer pain management involving opioids. The primary objective of this study was to investigate the clinical outcomes of the short-term and long-term opioid use among patients with noncancer pain.Materials and Methods:This is a retrospective cross-sectional study where patients (aged ≥18 years) with noncancer pain treated with opioids were recruited from three pain clinics in Malaysia. Data on patients’ opioid use were collected from prescription records. The individual days covered with opioids per patient were calculated and based on this, patients were classified as short-term (<90 days) or long-term (≥90 days) opioid user. Outcome measures included pain intensity and pain interference with daily activities assessed by Brief Pain Inventory – Short Form (BPI-SF), health-related quality of life (HRQoL) assessed by 36-Item Short Form Health Survey version 2 (SF-36v2). These measures were compared between short-term and long-term opioid users.Results:Of the 61 noncancer pain patients recruited, 49.2% (n = 30/61) were short-term and 50.8% (n = 31/61) were long-term opioid users. There were no statistically significant differences in the mean scores of pain intensity, pain interference with daily activities, and HRQoL between short-term and long-term opioid users in this study.Conclusion:Findings of this study imply that long-term opioid therapy does not provide significant pain relief or improvement in patients’ functional capability and HRQoL in noncancer pain patients. Future prospective studies with larger sample sizes are needed to support the findings of this study.

Supplemental Material for Prescriber Adherence to Guidelines for Chronic Noncancer Pain Management With Opioids: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Supplemental Material for Prescriber Adherence to Guidelines for Chronic Noncancer Pain Management With Opioids: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Best Practices in the Management of Nonmedical Opioid Use in Patients with Cancer-Related Pain.

Nonmedical opioid use (NMOU) in patients with cancer is a term covering a spectrum of nonprescribed opioid use. The extent to which an individual uses opioids in a nonprescribed manner will influence propensity for adverse effects such as neurotoxicity, substance use disorder, overdose, and death. The objectives of this study were to (A) evaluate current literature regarding management of NMOU in patients with cancer-related pain; (B) provide best practice recommendations based on evidence; and (C) integrate practices derived from the management of noncancer pain, where clinically appropriate or when the oncology literature is limited. This study is a narrative review. Although harm from NMOU was thought to be rare among oncology patients, about one in five patients with cancer is at risk of adverse outcomes including prolonged opioid use, high opioid doses, and increased health care utilization. The management of NMOU can be challenging because pain is a multidimensional experience encompassing physical, psychological, and spiritual domains. An interdisciplinary team approach is most effective, and management strategies may include (A) education of patients and families; (B) harm reduction, including opioid switching, decreasing the overall daily dose, avoiding concurrent sedative use, and using adjuvant medications for their opioid-sparing potential; (C) managing psychological and spiritual distress with an interdisciplinary team and techniques such as brief motivational interviewing; and (D) risk mitigation by pill counts, frequent clinic visits, and accessing statewide prescription drug monitoring plans. Although many of the management strategies for NMOU in patients with cancer-related pain are modeled on those for chronic non-cancer-related pain, there is emerging evidence that education and harm-reduction initiatives specifically for cancer-related pain are effective. Nonmedical opioid use (NMOU) in patients with cancer is a term covering a broad spectrum of nonprescribed opioid use. The extent to which an individual uses opioids in a nonprescribed manner will influence propensity for adverse effects such as neurotoxicity, substance use disorder, overdose, and death. This review evaluates the evidence for best practices in oncology and addresses limitations in the literature with supplemental evidence from noncancer chronic pain. Management recommendations for NMOU are provided, based on a combination of literature-based evidence and best clinical practice. Effective management of NMOU in oncology has the potential to improve quality of life, decrease health utilization, and improve survival.

Management of Opioid-Tolerant Patients with Acute Pain: Approaching the Challenges.

For over two decades, dramatic increases in opioid prescriptions in the developed world, especially for long-term management of chronic noncancer pain, were accompanied by increases in patient harm. In recent years in the USA, opioid-related deaths rates have continued to increase despite falls in prescribing rates and deaths associated with prescription opioids. In large part, this is attributed to the growing availability of illicitly manufactured fentanyl. Increased opioid use, for medical and nonmedical reasons, has led to more opioid-tolerant patients requiring management of acute pain. The potential harms associated with long-term opioid use are now well known. What may be less well understood is that preoperative long-term opioid use is associated with increased perioperative complications including infection, readmissions, and greater healthcare utilisation and costs. Minimizing opioid use prior to surgery is a modifiable risk factor that could benefit bothpatient andhealthcare system. Management of acute pain should include simple analgesics and adjuvants, with short-term opioid dose increases if needed and use of non-pharmacological strategies. Reported pain intensities may be high and titration of analgesia to function rather than pain scores is appropriate. Importantly, compared with opioid-naïve patients, opioid-tolerant patients may be at higher risk of opioid-induced ventilatory impairment when additional opioids are administered to manage new acute pain. For some patients, perioperative care may be best coordinated by a perioperative or post-discharge servicewith referral to multidisciplinary pain and addiction medicine services as indicated. Carefully planned and communicated discharge prescribing, with a weaning plan for additional opioids, is essential.

10 kHz SCS therapy for chronic pain, effects on opioid usage: Post hoc analysis of data from two prospective studies

Chronic pain, including chronic low back and leg pain are prominent causes of disability worldwide. While patient management aims to reduce pain and improve daily function, prescription of opioids remains widespread despite significant adverse effects. This study pooled data from two large prospective trials on 10 kHz spinal cord stimulation (10 kHz SCS) in subjects with chronic low back pain and/or leg pain and performed post hoc analysis on changes in opioid dosage 12 months post 10 kHz SCS treatment. Patient-reported back and leg pain using the visual analog scale (VAS) and opioid dose (milligrams morphine equivalent/day, MME/day) were compared at 12 months post-10 kHz SCS therapy to baseline. Results showed that in the combined dataset, 39.3% of subjects were taking >90 MME dose of opioids at baseline compared to 23.0% at 12 months post-10 kHz SCS therapy (p = 0.007). The average dose of opioids in >90 MME group was significantly reduced by 46% following 10 kHz SCS therapy (p < 0.001), which was paralleled by significant pain relief (P < 0.001). In conclusion, current analysis demonstrates the benefits of 10 kHz SCS therapy and offers an evidence-based, non-pharmaceutical alternative to opioid therapy and/or an adjunctive therapy to facilitate opioid dose reduction whilst delivering significant pain relief. Healthcare providers involved in management of chronic non-cancer pain can include reduction or elimination of opioid use as part of treatment plan when contemplating 10 kHz SCS.

Multimodal Local Opioid Prescribing Intervention Outcomes in Chronic Noncancer Pain Management.

Opioid misuse in the United States has made it challenging for physicians to treat chronic noncancer pain (CNCP). We implemented an educational program aimed at promoting safe opioid prescribing practices in hopes of increasing the level of appropriateness associated with prescribing opioids for CNCP. We conducted a quality-improvement study with a retrospective chart review of adult patients who were prescribed opioids for CNCP for at least 90 consecutive days at 2 academic primary care clinics. Patients were reviewed at baseline (July 2014-May 2015) and after initial interventions (January 2016-June 2016; ie, following multimodal educational activities on appropriate opioid prescription implemented from June 2015-December 2015). An opioid appropriateness score was calculated based on documentation of 9 items. Categorical variables were analyzed with Fisher exact tests and continuous variables by 2-sample t tests and regression analysis. Binary logistic regression was used for multivariable modeling. Mann-Whitney test was used to compare appropriateness scores before and after intervention. A total of 177 and 96 patients were evaluated at baseline and postintervention, respectively. Patient demographic characteristics were not statistically different. Overall, postintervention level of appropriateness was significantly different from preintervention (P < .0001), with means increasing from 5.54 preintervention to 6.29 postintervention. Both clinics had significant improvement from baseline (both P values <.003). Clinician education on best practices while treating CNCP is associated with an increase in the level of opioid use appropriateness.

Opioid Prescribing Habits in a Family Medicine Residency Program for the Management of Non-Cancer Pain.

1. List components of the 2016 CDC Guideline for Prescribing Opioids for Chronic Pain, 2. Describe the prescribing habits of medical residents and attending physicians within a family medicine residency program, 3. Discuss the direction of future research. A report was generated for all patients with opioids listed as a medication at Christ Health Center family medicine clinic from July 2016 to June 2017. A total of 153 patients were identified with prescriptions written for chronic non-cancer pain indications. Clinical management via a retrospective chart review was completed utilizing a standardized data collection form centered around four of twelve recommendations within the 2016 CDC Guideline for Prescribing Opioids for Chronic Pain: (1) Avoid concurrent opioid and benzodiazepine prescribing; (2) evaluate benefits and harms with patients within 1 to 4 weeks of starting opioid therapy; (3) perform urine drug testing before starting opioids and consider at least annually; and (4) offer/prescribe medication for opioid use disorder for all patients taking chronic opioids. A total of 153 prescriptions were written for chronic indications. The most common indications were chronic back pain (32.0%), unspecified chronic pain (31.4%), and osteoarthritis (9.8%). Average duration of therapy was 26.6 months. Forty-two (27.5%) patients were concurrently receiving benzodiazepine therapy. Eighteen (11.8%) patients performed a drug test before or during therapy. Twenty-two (14.4%) patients had documented discussion with their prescriber evaluating the benefits and harms of their opioid regimens. No patients were prescribed medication for opioid overdose. Prescribing habits did not align with the four-guideline recommendations evaluated. The need for provider-focused education on current pain management practice guidelines was identified.

Understanding the behavioural determinants of opioid prescribing among family physicians: a qualitative study

BackgroundLongstanding variation in the views of family physicians (FPs) on the role of opioids seems to translate into widely varying prescribing rates. Improvement interventions are unlikely to achieve change if they do not understand and explicitly target the factors that determine physician prescribing behaviour. The aim of this work was to understand (1) the perspectives of FPs as it relates to opioid prescribing, and (2) the perceived barriers and enablers to guideline-adherent opioid prescribing and management of chronic non-cancer pain.MethodsA qualitative study involving one-on-one, semi-structured interviews with a sample of FPs in Ontario, Canada. Interviews were analyzed using a directed content analysis informed by the Theoretical Domains Framework. A framework approach was used to explore interaction across behavioural determinants (factors influencing behaviour) as well as demographic sources of variation. The behaviour of interest for the current study was the prescribing of opioid medications (including initiation, renewal, and dose reduction) for patients with chronic, non-cancer pain. Associated issues in the overall management of such patients were also explored.ResultsInterviews were conducted with 22 FPs. Behavioural determinants interacted with one another to influence FPs prescribing behavior. The TDF domain Beliefs about Consequences played a central role in explaining physician prescribing behaviours as they related to the management of chronic non-cancer pain. Individual beliefs about prescribing consequences and patient behaviour interacted with prescriber beliefs about capabilities and perceptions of the FP’s professional role to influence prescriber behaviour. Emotion and the environmental context influenced the impact of these determinants on opioid prescribing and the management of chronic non-cancer pain.ConclusionsFPs face a wide range of complex (and often interacting) challenges when prescribing opioid therapy to their patients. Solution-based strategies should target these determinants directly using evidence-based strategies that move beyond guideline dissemination and general education. Shared decision-making strategies and patient-facing decision aids are likely to decrease the tension experienced in challenging conversations.

PMU49 CHANGES IN ANALGESIC PRESCRIBING AMONG TEXAS ADVANCED PRACTICE PROVIDERS AFTER RESCHEDULING OF HYDROCODONE COMBINATION PRODUCTS

In 2014, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) rescheduled hydrocodone combination products (HCPs) from schedule III to schedule II. The study objective was to determine if the rescheduling of HCPs influenced the analgesic prescribing choice that Texas Advanced Practice Providers (APPs) (i.e., nurse practitioners [NPs] and physician assistants [PAs]) provide to patients who are in need of pain management. A cross-sectional survey design was employed. The self-administered online questionnaire for the APPs was developed utilizing the Theory of Reasoned Action and included questions about pain management strategies. Data analyses involved measurement of descriptive statistics related to questions about planned treatment alternatives or substitutions for HCPs and, determination of inter-item reliability and correlations. An a priori significance level of P < 0.05 was used for all statistical tests. SAS® version 9.4 was used for statistical analyses. Responses from 1,059 APPs were collected with a 17.6% response rate. The mean age of respondents in this study was 47±12 years with 74% females. Most (71%) of APPs believed that rescheduling HCPs has altered their pain management care. With respect to non-cancer pain management (NCPM), (20.62%) of the APPs who reported using the PDMP reported prescribing schedule II opioids for less than 20% of their patients. Over half (54%) stated that they intended to prescribe acetaminophen with codeine after rescheduling of HCPs. Most (73%) of the prescribers reported that they were very likely/quite likely to prescribe tramadol or tramadol/acetaminophen combination products to treat acute non cancer pain. Advanced Practice Providers (APPs) are influenced by the change in policy in Texas due to lack of schedule II prescriptive authority and believe that the rescheduling has resulted in an alteration in the pain management care of patients. Further research is required to assess if rescheduling has contributed to reduction in drug misuse and diversion.

Physician-pharmacist collaboration on chronic non-cancer pain management during the opioid crisis: A qualitative interview study.

Management of chronic non-cancer pain is complex, requiring clinicians to balance pain management with the risk of opioid abuse. The role of ambulatory care pharmacists in chronic pain management is well-established, but little research has explored the feasibility of building collaboration on chronic pain and opioid management between physicians and community pharmacists. To explore physician and pharmacist perspectives on the opioid crisis and the possibility of physician and community pharmacist collaborations to manage chronic non-cancer pain in the context of the opioid crisis. Semi-structured interviews were performed with a snowball convenience sample 15 physicians and 25 pharmacists in North Carolina between November 2016 and April 2017. Transcribed data were analyzed using applied thematic analysis, and resulting codes were organized into themes and domains which emerged from analysis. Both physicians and pharmacists described current care deficiencies and steps needed to mitigate opioid abuse and diversion. Physicians discussed the need for additional supports and resources for chronic pain management and regarded positively the role of the community pharmacist in chronic pain management and mitigating opioid abuse. Pharmacists identified cost as the major barrier to implementing new services, and expressed willingness to participate in new chronic pain and opioid interventions. Within the study sample, strong interest exists for collaboration between physicians and community pharmacists. This highlights a potential opportunity to expand care for patients with chronic non-cancer pain.

Comparison of the antinociceptive profiles of morphine and oxycodone in two models of inflammatory and osteoarthritic pain in rat

Oxycodone and morphine are two opioid drugs commonly used for the treatment of moderate to severe pain. However, their use in the management of noncancer pain remains a controversial issue and, in this respect, the evidence on their effectiveness and safety, particularly in osteoarthritis, is being questioned. In order to analyse their analgesic profile, two different pain models in rats were used: the formalin-induced inflammatory pain and the monosodium iodoacetate (MIA)-induced knee osteoarthritic pain. Drugs were administered systemically (i.p.) and their antinociceptive effect and potency were assessed. In the formalin test, both morphine and oxycodone produced a dose-dependent antinociceptive effect, but oxycodone outdid morphine in terms of effectiveness and potency (nearly two times) in the early (acute nociceptive) as in the late phase (inflammatory). In the osteoarthritis model, both drugs reduced movement–evoked pain (knee-bend test), mechanical allodynia (von Frey test) and heat hyperalgesia (Plantar test). Pretreatment with naloxone and naloxone methiodide reduced morphine and oxycodone effects. Peripheral mu-opioid receptors play a crucial role in the antinociceptive effect of both drugs on movement-evoked pain and heat hyperalgesia, but not on tactile allodynia.The main finding of our study is that oxycodone has a better antinociceptive profile in the inflammatory and osteoarthritic pain, being more effective than morphine at 14 days post-MIA injection (phase with neuropathic pain); it overcame the morphine effect by improving the movement-induced pain, tactile allodynia and heat hyperalgesia.Therefore, oxycodone could be an interesting option to treat patients suffering from knee osteoarthritis when opioids are required.

Inadequate Management of Chronic Non-cancer Pain and Treatment-Related Adverse Events in Asia: Perspectives from Patients from 10 Countries/Regions

Findings from the published ACHEON study revealed inadequate pain relief for chronic non-cancer pain (CNCP) across 10 Asian countries/regions. Hence, we performed additional analyses on the survey data to understand management practices for relieving CNCP and treatment-related adverse events (AEs). Descriptive statistics were used to summarize patients’ profile, prescribed treatments, and associated AEs. Two-sample t test was used to compare pain levels between treatment groups. Univariate analyses were conducted to identify factors associated with pain intensity, presence of any common AEs, perceived treatment adequacy, patient-physician interaction, and employment status. Of 1305 patients surveyed, the median duration of CNCP was 24 (interquartile range, 39) months. The majority of patients (89.3%) reported having moderate (44.4%) or severe pain (44.9%). Most patients (80.1%) were prescribed non-opioids, while 16.2% of patients were untreated for pain. Although over half of the treated patients (53.8%) experienced AEs while receiving pain treatment, two-fifths were prescribed medications to manage these AEs. High pain levels, presence of AEs, and employment status influenced patients’ perception of treatment adequacy. Patients were more willing to inform their physicians when pain levels were higher and when they perceived sufficient time with physicians. These findings revealed inadequate treatment of CNCP in patients from the participating countries/regions. CNCP management may be improved through increased physician-patient interaction time and adopting a biopsychosocial model for treatment. A proactive and multidimensional approach is required to manage CNCP and potential treatment-related AEs so as to provide optimal care for patients experiencing CNCP.

(288) Reducing High Dose Narcotic Therapy for Chronic Non-Cancer Related Pain

Following the release of the 2016 CDC Guidelines for Prescribing Opioids for Chronic Pain, there have been intense efforts to reduce the utilization of high dose narcotic therapy for the management of non-cancer related chronic pain. Most prior research on prescription narcotic over-utilization has focused on geographical and community-based statistics, including investigating prescribers with inconsistent prescribing practices and guidelines. To date, there have been few published reports of these efforts in a large health system. In our presentation, we fill this gap by sharing the results of an intervention designed to reduce high dose narcotic therapy for non-cancer related chronic pain in a high-volume hospital-based pain center (census 5,000 patients) embedded within a large health system (11,000 employees). Our multi-modality pain intervention included the development of well-defined prescribing guidelines that enforced a maximum 100 Morphine Equivalent Dose (MED) daily threshold for narcotic therapy in patients with non-cancer related chronic pain. Our team openly communicated the goals of this intervention and related monitoring procedures to pain center patients and staff, as well as care providers across the health system. Outcome measures were collected for 30 months, from January 2016 through June 2018. During this study period, high dose narcotic prescriptions decreased from 20.5% to 0.5%, in established patients with non-cancer related chronic pain undergoing therapy in our pain center. The results suggest our approach – well-defined prescribing guidelines, 100 MED max daily narcotic dosing, and strategic system-wide and patient level communication – should be considered by other health systems as a method to improve adherence with CDC guidelines for opioid prescription.

Understanding transdermal buprenorphine and a practical guide to its use for chronic cancer and non-cancer pain management.

Transdermal buprenorphine (TDB) has demonstrated effectiveness in treating a range of chronic pain conditions, including cancer pain, nociceptive pain, and neuropathic pain and has a favorable safety profile. Worldwide, clinical experience of its use is relatively limited. There is considerable misunderstanding about the pharmacology, mechanism of action, and safety of buprenorphine. There is also limited guidance on the appropriate use of TDB for chronic pain management. This article presents an overview of TDB and also provides practical recommendations for its use as part of a multifaceted strategy in chronic cancer and non-cancer pain.