NCEA Opioid Podcast Series

Chronic pain can be difficult to manage, which can lead to opioid abuse and forms of elder abuse occurring simultaneously.  In this episode, Eden Ruiz-Lopez interviews Dr. Tatyana Gurvich for a discussion on pain management and the exploration of pain alternatives. Get an understanding from a pharmacist’s perspective that no patient is the same, and that medications may have different effects on each person. Included in this discussion is when pain management can cross the lines into abuse, as well as common red flags to look out for. Factors such as polypharmacy and access to over-the-counter medications may all play a part in opioid abuse. Listen in for tips on pain alternatives and how to reduce opioid use and misuse.