PHM-15 - The Road Less Travelled: Appropriate Use of Atypical Opioids for Individual Care

If prescribers were providing individualized care, would 80% of all opioids dispensed be hydrocodone? The reality is that providers prescribe what they feel comfortable with, and the majority of providers are not comfortable with some of the newer and less traditional opioid therapies. This session will teach the situational use of atypical opioids to directly target complex or unique pain complaints. We will utilize cases of actual pain patients who failed multiple traditional opioids before finding success with an atypical opioid that was able to target the unique mechanism which was underlying their pain complaint. We want to assist providers in recognizing and feeling comfortable with these unique opioids and their appropriate use. Specific atypical opioids covered in this section include tramadol, tapentadol, methadone, levorphanol, butorphanol, and pentazocine.