Opioid and Substance Use Disorder Identification & Treatment

Opioid and Substance Use Disorder Identification & Treatment is organized by Christian Medical & Dental Associations (CMDA).

Review Date:10/5/2023
Release Date: 10/16/2023
CE Termination Date: 10/15/2026

List of Learning Objectives:
• Describe an appropriate strategy to initiate opioid therapy in an opiate naïve patient.
• Describe situations when discontinuation of long-term opioid therapy is appropriate.
• List the common signs and symptoms of opioid withdrawal.
• Discuss how to appropriately and safely taper patients off chronic opioid therapy.
• Summarize medical and legal concerns for prescribers to be aware of when prescribing opioids.
• Define pain.
• Describe the basic physiologic mechanisms through which the human body experiences pain.
• Identify the mechanism of action of opioids and the sites where they act to produce analgesia.
• Name four non-opioid classes of pain medication.
• List the stages of migraine headaches.
• State an appropriate approach to treating migraines.
• List three non-pharmacologic interventions that can help alleviate back pain.
• Discuss concerns pertaining to criminality and abuse that must be considered when treating pain.
• Define opioid use disorder; discuss current epidemiology of opioid use disorder.
• Identify best practice for treatment of opioid use disorder.
• Differentiate between 3 FDA-approved medications as to activity at opioid receptor sites.
• Describe clinical techniques for induction, maintenance, and discontinuation of buprenorphine.
• Utilize several evidence-based strategies to engage patients in treatment for opioid use disorder.
• Discuss several medication strategies to reduce craving and the harm caused by Alcohol Use Disorder.
• Describe application of dietary prevention advice to reduce liver inflammation in alcohol use disorder.
• Discuss the benefits of targeted use of Naltrexone in alcohol use disorder.
• Describe how science alone is inadequate in addressing the needs of people suffering from addiction.
• List practical steps that can be taken to incorporate both scientific and faith-based components into addiction treatment plans.
• Evaluate how to explore patient readiness to consider faith as an important component of addiction recovery.