Lesson 1Muscle relaxants and short‑term adjuvant analgesics: indications, risks, and prescriber cautionsThis lesson discusses muscle relaxers and short-term helper painkillers, their uses, effectiveness compared, dose limits, risks like drowsiness, confusion, dependence, stressing care in elders.
When muscle relaxants are truly indicatedComparing common muscle relaxant agentsDuration limits and deprescribing plansRisks in older or medically complex patientsCounseling on driving and work safetyLesson 2Deprescribing and tapering protocols: stepwise reduction plans, managing withdrawal symptoms, when to stop abruptly vs gradual taperThis lesson explains when and how to reduce opioids, picking patients, joint choices, step-down doses, handling withdrawal, and knowing quick stops versus slow with supports.
Indications and goals for opioid taperingDesigning individualized taper schedulesMonitoring and managing withdrawal symptomsNon-opioid supports during taperingWhen abrupt discontinuation is necessaryLesson 3Safe opioid prescribing: treatment agreements, informed consent, urine drug testing, prescription drug monitoring programs, naloxone co‑prescribing criteriaThis lesson stresses safe opioid giving, consent, agreements, risk checks, urine tests, monitoring programs, and rules for giving naloxone with high-risk cases.
Opioid risk assessment and patient selectionInformed consent and treatment agreementsUsing PDMP data in clinical decisionsUrine drug testing: indications and limitsNaloxone co-prescribing indicationsLesson 4First‑line analgesics by pain type: acetaminophen indications, dosing adjustments for liver diseaseThis lesson sums first-choice painkillers by type, focusing on paracetamol, uses, max doses, mixes, adjustments for liver issues, drink, weakness, low weight.
Matching analgesics to pain mechanismsAcetaminophen dosing and max daily limitsAdjusting dose in liver disease and frailtyAvoiding unintentional overdose from combosPatient counseling on safe self-medicationLesson 5Tramadol and weak opioids: pharmacology, interactions, seizure risk, CYP considerations, and when to use cautiouslyThis lesson examines tramadol and mild opioids, how they work, changes in body, safety issues, serotonin and fit risks, body process mixes, when to avoid or use carefully.
Mechanism of action and active metabolitesSerotonin syndrome and seizure riskCYP2D6 and CYP3A4 interaction concernsUse in older adults and renal impairmentWhen weak opioids are inappropriateLesson 6NSAIDs: selection, dosing, GI and renal risks, gastroprotection strategies, and alternatives for CKD stage 3This lesson covers NSAID workings, picking, dosing, gut, kidney, heart risks, gut protection, proven swaps for stage 3 kidney issues.
Nonselective vs COX-2 selective NSAIDsAssessing GI, renal, and CV risk factorsDose limits and treatment duration guidancePPI and misoprostol gastroprotection optionsAnalgesic options in CKD stage 3Lesson 7Adjuvant neuropathic agents: TCAs, SNRIs, gabapentinoids—mechanisms, dosing, side effects, titration and monitoringThis lesson details nerve pain helpers like TCAs, SNRIs, gabapentinoids, how they work, start doses, build-up, checks, reducing sleepiness, falls, misuse, heart-metabolism effects.
Choosing between TCAs, SNRIs, and gabapentinoidsInitiating low-dose therapy and titrationMonitoring efficacy and time to benefitManaging sedation, weight gain, and fallsMisuse and diversion considerationsLesson 8Opioid fundamentals: opioid selection, equianalgesic dosing, calculating MME, starting doses, PD/PK interactionsThis lesson reviews opioid basics for safe use, actions, picking, equal strength changes, MME math, start doses, body and effect mixes on dosing and checks.
Opioid receptor subtypes and clinical effectsShort-acting vs long-acting opioid formulationsUsing equianalgesic tables safelyCalculating and interpreting daily MMECommon PD and PK drug–drug interactions
