All FAQs

Cardiac complications associated with SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19)

Posted on Aug. 14, 2020

On March 11, 2020 the World Health Organization declared the global spread of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2),…
Read more
How should withdrawal symptoms be managed when discontinuing opioids in opioid-dependent patients?

Posted on Feb. 06, 2020

Opioid withdrawal syndrome encompasses the signs and symptoms that occur as a result of a rapid decrease or cessation of opioids after prol…
Read more
What is the Illinois Naloxone Standing Order and how does a patient obtain naloxone from a pharmacy without a prescription? What naloxone dosage forms are available?

Posted on Feb. 05, 2020

Every day, more than 130 people in the United States die after overdosing on opioids.1 In response to the growing opioid crisis, Illinois h…
Read more
What are the recommendations for opioid use in children?

Posted on Jan. 30, 2020

When treating pain in children in the era of the opioid epidemic, judicious pain management is required in order to alleviate pain while mi…
Read more
How does Nucynta® (tapentadol) differ from other opioids when treating chronic, non-cancer pain?

Posted on Jan. 30, 2020

In 2016, The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) published a guideline for prescribing opioids for chronic pain in an effort t…
Read more
What factors increase the risk for opioid overdose?

Posted on Jan. 30, 2020

Opioids are potent analgesics prescribed for acute and chronic pain. They exert their pharmacological effects by binding to the opioid rece…
Read more
What treatments are available for patients with opioid use disorder (OUD)?

Posted on Jan. 27, 2020

Opioid use disorder (OUD), as defined by the American Society of Addiction Medicine (ASAM), is “a primary, chronic disease of brain reward,…
Read more
What is a morphine milligram equivalent (MME) and how do I convert a patient’s opioid dose to a total daily MME?

Posted on Jan. 27, 2020

Morphine milligram equivalents (MME) is a unit of measure used to compare opioids of varying potencies. By converting different opioids to …
Read more
What are the risks of co-prescribing opioids and benzodiazepines?

Posted on Jan. 27, 2020

Opioids are a class of medications that are used for pain that is moderate to severe. They are often prescribed after serious injury or for…
Read more
What guidance is available for tapering long-term opioid analgesics?

Posted on Jan. 23, 2020

In 2016, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released a guideline comprised of 12 recommendations on prescribing opioids f…
Read more