Lesson 1Muscle relaxants and short‑term adjuvant analgesics: indications, risks, and prescriber cautionsLooks at muscle relaxers and short-term extra painkillers, their uses, how well they work compared, dose limits, big risks like drowsiness, confusion, and addiction, especially careful 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 taperExplains when and how to cut opioids, picking patients, joint decisions, step-by-step dose drops, handling withdrawal, and knowing when quick stop or slow cut needs support.
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 criteriaCovers safe opioid writing, patient consent, agreements, risk checks, urine tests, monitoring programmes, and rules for giving naloxone with high-risk patients.
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 diseaseSums up top painkillers by pain kind, focusing on paracetamol, uses, max daily doses, mixes, and dose changes for liver issues, drinking, weakness, or 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 cautiouslyChecks tramadol and milder opioids, how they work, body changes, safety issues like serotonin and fits risks, gene-drug mixes, and cases 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 3Covers NSAID workings, picking them, doses, gut, kidney, heart risks, gut protection, and proven swaps for stage 3 kidney patients.
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 monitoringDetails extra nerve pain drugs like TCAs, SNRIs, gabapentin types, how they work, start doses, build-up, checks, and ways to cut drowsiness, falls, misuse, heart-sugar side 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 interactionsReviews opioid basics for safe use, receptor work, picking drugs, equal dose swaps, MME sums, start doses, and body-drug mixes affecting doses 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
