Treatment Guidelines for the Pharmacological Management of Pain in Older Personspme_1307 57..66

received cumulative fees and honoraria exceeding $10,000 over the past three years for consultancy services on behalf of Cephalon and Johnson & Johnson (and affiliates). Background. Chronic or persistent pain is a com-mon problem in older adults and is often associated with significant physical disability and psychosocial problems. The potential benefits, risks, and costs of pharmacotherapy as a mainstay in the treatment of moderate to severe pain in this population must be well-understood and weighed accordingly. Recent treatment guidelines have been introduced that can guide decision making to optimize pain-related treatment outcomes in older individuals Objectives and Results. This review article des-cribes and summarizes key evidence-based recom-mendations that were derived by a committee convened by the American Geriatrics Society in order to provide guidance to optimize pharma-cotherapy in the management of persistent pain in older individuals. Conclusions. It is postulated that ongoing edu-cation of clinicians who treat older patients with persistent moderate to severe pain will lead to improved outcomes in this vulnerable population