Emergency Department Pain Management in the Older Adult

Natalie M Elder; Sean F Heavey; Katren R Tyler

doi:10.1016/j.cger.2023.05.012

Emergency Department Pain Management in the Older Adult

Clin Geriatr Med. 2023 Nov;39(4):619-634. doi: 10.1016/j.cger.2023.05.012. Epub 2023 Jul 7.

Authors

Natalie M Elder¹, Sean F Heavey², Katren R Tyler³

Affiliations

¹ University of Vermont, 111 Colchester Avenue, Burlington, VT 05401, USA.
² University of California Davis, 4150 V Street, Sacramento, CA 95817, USA.
³ University of California Davis, 4150 V Street, Sacramento, CA 95817, USA. Electronic address: krtyler@ucdavis.edu.

PMID: 37798068
DOI: 10.1016/j.cger.2023.05.012

Abstract

Pain assessment and management in older adults is complex and requires evaluation and consideration of the type of pain, the acuity of the condition, comorbidities, and medications. Many older adults do not receive appropriate therapy for painful conditions in the emergency department (ED). This brief review article is focused on pharmacologic agents, drug-drug interactions, drug-disease interactions, and approaches in the management of painful conditions seen in older adults in the emergency department. Recommendations for specific painful conditions such as fragility fractures are discussed.

Keywords: Older adults; Older patients; Pain; Pharmacology.

Publication types

Review

MeSH terms

Aged
Emergency Service, Hospital
Fractures, Bone*
Humans
Pain / diagnosis
Pain / etiology
Pain Management*
Pain Measurement