The Role of Pharmacists in Chronic Pain Management

Pharmacists, as primary care providers, have a vital role in supporting patients’ pain self-management. They can monitor prescription dispensing and potential misuse of medicines (e.g. opioids), and provide education about management of adverse effects and appropriate use of medicines to reduce or prevent medicine-related harm.

Chronic non-cancer pain is characterised by pain that persists despite adequate time for healing and is often defined as pain that has been present for more than 3 months.² It is associated with clinical, psychological and social consequences, including limitations in daily activities, lost work productivity, reduced quality of life and stigma. The primary goal of caring for a patient with chronic non-cancer pain is not the elimination of pain, but the improvement of function. Patients should receive appropriate pain treatment after careful consideration of benefits and risks of treatment options.³

Management of chronic pain is undergoing a paradigm shift, in recognition of the limited efficacy of opioids and risk of harms associated with their use.^4,5 Opioids have a limited role in chronic pain management.⁶ The primary change in the management of chronic pain is towards a biopsychosocial approach and the use of non-pharmacological therapies.^7,8

Chronic pain management should be patient centred and multidisciplinary. It may include both pharmacological and non-pharmacological treatments. Patients living with chronic pain must be regularly assessed by their general practitioner. Chronic pain often responds poorly to analgesics alone, and therefore requires a multidisciplinary approach, combining physical, psychological and pharmacological therapies.⁶

https://www.australianpharmacist.com.au/chronic-pain-role-pharmacists/