PRESCRIPTION OF CONTROLLED SUBSTANCES: BENEFITS AND RISKS

Course overview

ONE OF THE SINGLE MOST DIFFICULT CHALLENGES FOR ANY PRESCRIBER IS TO DISTINGUISH BETWEEN THE LEGITIMATE PRESCRIPTION OF CONTROLLED SUBSTANCES VERSUS THE PRESCRIPTION POTENTIALLY USED FOR ILLEGITIMATE PURPOSES. TO DISCERN THE DIFFERENCE, PRESCRIBERS NEED TO RECOGNIZE THE SIGNS, SYMPTOMS, AND TREATMENT OF ACUTE AND CHRONIC PAIN AS WELL AS THE SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS OF PATIENTS MISUSING CONTROLLED SUBSTANCES. THIS ACTIVITY ASSISTS MEMBERS OF THE INTERPROFESSIONAL TEAM BY HELPING DEVELOP AN AWARENESS OF APPROPRIATE DOSING, SUBSTANCE CONTROL, AND RECOGNIZING PATIENTS THAT MAY BE ABUSING THESE DRUGS FOR NON-LEGITIMATE PURPOSES.