Navigating the Complexities of Opioid Use Disorder in Aging Adults: Comorbid Psychiatric Diagnoses and Changing DEA Regulations-View Presentation

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Video Summary

In this webinar, Melissa Rivera, a psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner, discusses the complexities of opioid use disorder and comorbid psychiatric diagnoses in older adults. She highlights the aging population and its impact on data collection for opioid use disorder and mental illness. Additionally, she discusses the pharmacokinetics of opioids in older adults and the increased risk of adverse reactions. Rivera also discusses opioid prescriptions in the aging population and the increase in opioid prescribing over time. She emphasizes the need for monitoring and evaluating the necessity of opioid prescriptions in older adults. Rivera also reviews the updated Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) registration and renewal requirements for prescribers of controlled substances, including the new training requirements for buprenorphine prescribers and the elimination of the data waiver requirement. She concludes by recommending evidence-based practices for treating older adults with comorbid mental health and substance use issues, such as cognitive behavioral therapy and peer support therapy, in addition to medication-assisted treatment.

Keywords

webinar

Melissa Rivera

opioid use disorder

comorbid psychiatric diagnoses

aging population

pharmacokinetics

opioid prescriptions

DEA

prescribers

evidence-based practices