A recent study published in Consultant Pharmacist described “a performance improvement initiative conducted in accordance with the American Geriatrics Society (AGS) guideline regarding pharmacological management of persistent pain in older adults.” The authors assessed the following outcome measures: “appropriate use of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory agents (NSAIDs), utilization of proper pain assessment tools, types of opioids used, and associated adverse effects.” The authors noted “a trend toward improvement in the use of NSAIDs, but did not [observe a change] in practice regarding the frequency of opioid use” among older adults.
