The Management of Chronic Pain and the Role of the Pharmacist

Course overview

Pain is a subjective experience, which means patients will experience pain in diverse ways. This also means that there is no objective, physical methodology to measure pain. Pharmacists practicing in all settings have important roles to play in pain management, including determining safe and effective regimens, mitigating adverse effects, identifying medication-related problems, and providing patient education. Pharmacists can be more effective in helping patients manage chronic pain when they utilize their knowledge of the physiology of pain and pain assessment. This knowledge is crucial for pharmacists to help improve outcomes for patients who have persistent pain. Positive outcomes have been found when pharmacists are involved in managing their patient's chronic pain.