Every 7 minutes in our country, a person dies from a drug overdose, while a child is also born approximately every 30 minutes dependent on opioids. How do we as healthcare professionals offer non-stigmatic patient care and contribute to the progress of society in the right direction?

Substance use disorder (addiction) is likened to an iceberg or a weed, in that the issues underneath the surface are typically even more complicated than what is viewed from the surface. Addiction spans hundreds of substances of abuse highlighted by stimulants (cocaine and methamphetamine), cannabis (plant, synthetics, and extracts), and opioids (heroin, fentanyl, and carfentanyl). As one can recall with the substance of ethyl alcohol (i.e. beer, wine, and hard liquor), a substance may never actually chemically change, yet can move across legal classifications of substances, leaving all healthcare professionals in need of knowledge on all substances of abuse.

Opioid use disorder (opioid addiction) is combated with the medication-assisted treatments (MAT) of naltrexone, methadone, and buprenorphine, while opioid overdose respiratory depression is reversed with naloxone. Over the course of this activity, we will aim for “higher” education on all of these dynamic aspects. Unlike opioids, this activity is sure to open your eyes and possibly even elevate your blood pressure and/or heart rate!!!

At the conclusion of this continuing education activity, the participant will be able to:

1. Describe the pathophysiology of substance use disorder (addiction)
2. Recall the pharmacology of common substances of abuse, including stimulants (cocaine and methamphetamine), cannabis (plant, synthetic and extract), and opioids(heroin, fentanyl, and carfentanyl)
3. Identify patient counseling points for opioid use disorder (OUD) medication-assisted treatments (MAT) including naltrexone, methadone, and buprenorphine, and the opioid overdose reversal medication naloxone

AchieveCE is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education as a provider of continuing pharmacy education. AchieveCE is also accredited by the Florida Board of Pharmacy (provider no. 50-20641). This course is approved by CE Broker, with CE Broker No. 20-845717.

AchieveCE is an approved provider of nursing continuing professional development by the Georgia Nurses Association, an accredited approver by the American Nurses Credentialing Center’s Commission on Accreditation. GNA Approved Provider Number is 4003268. AchieveCE is an approved provider from July 14, 2022 to July 14, 2025.

AchieveCE is also an accredited provider by the Academy of General Dentistry (AGD) with provider ID #386503, and are accepted in all 50 states.

Mark Garofoli, PharmD, MBA, BCGP, CPE is a Clinical Assistant Professor and Director of Experiential Learning for the West Virginia University (WVU) School of Pharmacy (SoP), a faculty member in the WVU School of Medicine Pain Fellowship Program, and a Clinical Pain Management Pharmacist at the WVU Medicine Center for Integrative Pain Management. He is board certified in Geriatric Care (BGCP) along with being a certified pain educator (CPE) and certified tobacco treatment specialist (CTTS).

This activity was developed by AchieveCE free of any commercial support. Mark Garofoli, PharmD, MBA, BCGP, CPE, faculty for this educational event, has no relevant financial relationship(s) with ineligible companies to disclose. Jaimini Patel, RPh, and Pete Kreckel, RPh, planners for this educational event, also have no relevant financial relationship(s) with ineligible companies to disclose.

  Level 2. Basic Application of Skills and Concepts