PRESCRIPTION OF CONTROLLED SUBSTANCES: BENEFITS AND RISKS

Course overview

ONE OF THE MOST DIFFICULT CHALLENGES FOR ANY PRESCRIBER IS DISTINGUISHING 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 AND THE SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS OF PATIENTS MISUSING CONTROLLED SUBSTANCES. THIS ACTIVITY ASSISTS INTERPROFESSIONAL TEAM MEMBERS BY HELPING DEVELOP AN AWARENESS OF APPROPRIATE DOSING AND SUBSTANCE CONTROL AND RECOGNIZING PATIENTS THAT MAY BE ABUSING THESE DRUGS FOR NON-LEGITIMATE PURPOSES.