OUD

CE / CME

Module 6: Opioid Use Disorder

Physician Assistants/Physician Associates: 1.00 AAPA Category 1 CME credit

Nurses: 1.00 Nursing contact hour

ABIM MOC: maximum of 1.00 Medical Knowledge MOC point

Optometrists: 1.00 COPE CE credit 

ABP MOC: maximum of 1.00 MOC point

ABS MOC: maximum of 1.00 Continuous Certification credit

ABOHNS MOC: maximum of 1.00 Part II Self-Assessment Credit

ABPath MOC: maximum of 1.00 Lifelong Learning point

Dental Professionals: 1.00 ADA CERP credit

Physicians: maximum of 1.00 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit

Released: May 31, 2023

Expiration: May 30, 2026

Timothy Atkinson
Timothy Atkinson, PharmD, BCPS, CPE

Activity

Progress
1 2 3
Course Completed

Epidemiology: Retrospective Cohort Study

A retrospective cohort study looked at the temporal nature of overdose.4 That is, how long after one was exposed to an opioid were they likely to overdose? What was concerning about these findings was that one half of the overdose events occurred within the first year of the opioid prescription and an additional 33% happened in the second year. That tells us that if an individual is going to be susceptible to developing an opioid use disorder (OUD) and experience an overdose, it is likely to happen within the first 2 years of opioid therapy.

Epidemiology: Consort Study Findings

A second epidemiologic study demonstrates that overdose risk does increase with higher doses, but most overdoses are actually in those who receive low to moderate doses of opioid therapy.5 This is a fairly consistent finding across many overdose studies. So, although risk does increase with higher doses, the vast majority of overdoses occurred among those in the lower dosing range.

We must also remember that not all overdoses are fatal. This study showed that there were 7 nonfatal overdose events for every fatal overdose event. This indicates that there may be time to intervene when someone has an overdose. Our healthcare system must transform to identifying these individuals and utilize this opportunity to engage them in OUD care.