Pain Medication & the Elderly

Research into pain medication for the elderly is an ongoing endeavor. For instance, the American Geriatrics Society (AGS) has just published a new recommendation for the treatment of elderly (75 and older) chronic pain patients. According to the new guideline, non-steroidal anti-inflammatories (NSAIDs) are to be used infrequently, with extreme care, and only in very qualified patients. As late as 2002, AGS was providing just the opposite advice. Their new stance is indicative of recent findings related to the danger to the cardiovascular system and gastrointestinal tract due to NSAID use. This class of drugs can have negative effects on common maladies of the elderly, such as congestive heart failure and hypertension.

You are probably familiar with NSAIDS through their brand names: ibuprofen/Advil, naproxen sodium/Aleve, Celebrex, etc. It is known that all anti-inflammatory medications have about the same effectiveness in the treatment of pain - no one type is better than the others. They all appear to work better than acetaminophen, although the latter has fewer side-effects. Most NSAIDS are available without a prescription.

The AGS guidelines now point physicians towards opioids to replace NSAIDS for elderly individuals with recurring pain. This is a matter of balancing risks, as doctors in the past have been less willing to prescribe opioids to the aged. Undoubtedly, physicians will continue to express their own judgments towards each individual patient, determining which course of treatment offers more benefits and fewer risks. Complicating the situation is the fact that the FDA is looking into tighter regulation of opioids. The FDA's Risk Evaluation and Mitigation Strategies for opioids initially stressed the need for drugmakers to educate doctors about the use of this class of drugs, including the use of extended-release opioid formulations. However, a joint advisory committee took issue with the FDA on a couple points, including hostility to the role of drugmakers in the educational process and special registration of doctors to allow opioid use. These cross-currents for and against the use of opioids can lead to contradictory pressures on physicians and confusion among patients.

The elderly suffer from many types of chronic pain, the most prevalent being lower back muscle pain. When these unfortunate individuals seek a Pain Clinic Georgia, they have a few options: a hospital, a pain clinic, or perhaps a physician's private practice. Of these, pain clinics are the most likely to have doctors who are on the cutting edge of diagnostic procedures and treatment protocols. In all cases, patients -especially elderly ones - should make sure they understand the risks associated with any medication.