Methods for Monitoring Medication Use in Chronic Patients
Abstract
In this article, the best methods for assessing chronic pain patients who are potentially at risk of misuse or abuse of painreduction
medications are highlighted. The author recommends that comprehensive biopsychosocial assessments of such
patients should be conducted using instruments specifically developed for evaluating the potential for abuse/misuse. The
Pain Medication Questionnaire is discussed as an example of one such tool. The advantages of this comprehensive
assessment approach, which has been shown to be the most heuristic perspective for the evaluation and treatment of
chronic pain, are reviewed. Finally, an algorithm for the ongoing evaluation of patients undergoing opioid treatment is
presented.