Reversal and Beyond: Unexpected Uses for Opioid Antagonists (1 Class A CE with 1 Pharm)

Nurse anesthesiologists are experts in the pharmacology and administration of opioids and opioid antagonists for analgesia and overdose management respectively. However, new research has suggested the potential to expand the use of opioid antagonists for a variety of issues relevant to the practice of anesthesia and pain management. These novel uses may be unfamiliar to practicing CRNAs and may have benefit for multimodal analgesia and immune modulation. Significant research has been conducted in the last 5 years on these novel uses and the potential risks and benefits. This talk aims to expand the current knowledge CRNAs possess around the use of opioid antagonists with novel uses of these agents that could be used as adjuncts to our current practice of anesthesia and pain management.