OVERVIEW

Addressing Unmet Needs in Herpes Zoster: Sharing Strategies to Improve Care is organized by National Association for Continuing Education (NACE).

Start Date: 12/15/19
Expiration Date: 12/14/2020

Accreditation:
Albert Einstein College of Medicine designates this enduring activity for a maximum of 1.0 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.

The National Association for Continuing Education is approved as a provider of nurse practitioner continuing education by the American Association of Nurse Practitioners. AANP Provider Number 121222. This program has been approved for 1.0 contact hour of continuing education which includes 0.75 pharmacology hours.

Course Description:
Herpes zoster, or shingles, results from reactivation of the varicella-zoster virus (VZV) that lies dormant on the dorsal horn nerve cells of the spinal cord. The annual incidence increases with age, from five cases per 1,000 population in adults aged 50-59 years to 11 cases per 1,000 population in persons aged ≥80 years. Approximately 99.5% of people aged ≥40 years born in the United States have been infected with wild-type VZV and are therefore at risk for herpes zoster. Vaccination can reduce the risk of herpes zoster and postherpetic neuralgia (PHN), and a newer vaccine with greater effectiveness is now available. However, various barriers to vaccination exist, and vaccination coverage is suboptimal. This activity will address the clinical impact of herpes zoster, the efficacy, tolerability, and safety of available vaccines for prevention, and strategies to promote adherence to national vaccine guidelines.

Learning Objectives:
After completing this program participants should be able to:
• Assess the clinical impact of herpes zoster and postherpetic neuralgia
• Evaluate the efficacy, safety, and tolerability of available vaccines to prevent herpes zoster
• Develop effective strategies to promote adherence to national vaccine guidelines