Fibromyalgia: An Update on Diagnosis and Treatment Strategies

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Session Summary

Fibromyalgia is a widespread chronic pain syndrome characterized by diffuse musculoskeletal achiness, stiffness, and exaggerated tenderness. Current view of the condition indicates that it is a huge continuum of pain and somatic syndromes. It is believed that increase sensitization of the central nervous system to sensory modalities results in the development of many of the symptoms of fibromyalgia. The etiology of fibromyalgia is currently unknown but research is accumulating that indicates that it is most likely multifactorial.

Effective treatment of fibromyalgia utilizes non-pharmacologic as well as pharmacologic modalities. Non- pharmacologic treatments include cognitive behavioral therapies, moderate exercise as well as psychological support. Pharmacologic treatment utilizes drugs that primarily affect neurotransmittors in the CNS such as serotonin, norepinephrine, and GABA through calcium channel modulation. However, drugs with other mechanisms have shown to be useful in some patients.

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Faculty Information

Susan Rogers, BS, PharmD, BCPS

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Susan Rogers, BS, PharmD, BCPS
South Texas Healthcare System
Audie L. Murphy Memorial Veterans Hospital
University of Texas
Austin, TX

Dr. Rogers has been part of Audie L. Murphy Veterans Hospital spinal cord staff since it’s opening in 1991. She also has worked with the Neurology department at Audie L. Murphy Veterans Hospital since 1991 and retains a teaching position at the University of Texas and Health Science Center at San Antonio, Texas.

She helps physicians and other health care professionals manage pharmacotherapeutic issues dealing with SCI outpatient and inpatients and multiple sclerosis patients. She also evaluates and treats patients in the Neuroseizure clinic at the VA.

Susan earned her undergraduate pharmacy degree from Ohio Northern University and her Pharm.D. degree from University of Michigan. She completed a general pharmacy residency at University of Chicago Hospital and Clinics and a fellowship in neurology/pharmacokinetics at University of Illinois. She is board certified as a Pharmacotherapy Specialist from the American College of Clinical Pharmacy. Her main interests outside work are tennis and her 3 very active dogs.

Learning Objectives

Explain the diagnostic criteria for fibromyalgia
Differentiate fibromyalgia from comorbidities and conditions with similar symptomatology
Identify nonpharmacologic treatments to help improve symptom control in fibromyalgia
Compare the safety and efficacy data for commonly used agents for treating fibromyalgia including antidepressants, pregabalin, and analgesics

Continuing Education Credit

Activity Dates: 04/20/2009 - 04/20/2012
ACPE Contact Hours: 1.0
ACPE Number: 0284-0000-09-006-H01-P
Nursing Credit Reminder: Note that ACPE and ACCME credit is accepted for certification renewal.

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ACPE The College of Psychiatric and Neurologic Pharmacists is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education as a provider of continuing pharmacy education. This self-study course provides 1.0 contact hours (0.1 CEUs) of knowledge-based continuing education credit from CPNP approved programming. The ACPE universal program number assigned to this course is 0284-0000-09-006-H01-P (1.0 contact hours).

ACPE approved contact hours are accepted for ANCC Certification Renewal (see pages 5 and 6): At least 50% (37.5 hours) of your 75 continuing education hours must be formally approved continuing education hours. Formally approved continuing education hours meet one or more of the criteria listed below:

Continuing nursing education (CNE) approved for nursing contact hours by an accredited provider or approver of nursing continuing education
Continuing medical education (CME) approved for CME hours
Sponsored by organizations, agencies, or educational institutions accredited or approved by the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) or the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) or the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE) or the Commission on Dietetic Registration

Course Requirements

This course is provided online at cpnp.org and consists of the speaker audio and slides. A PDF file of the slides is also provided and access is available to participants indefinitely although ACPE credit is available only through the course expiration date.

Participants in this course must complete an examination and achieve a score of 60% or greater. Successful completion of the course also requires the completion of a course evaluation. ACPE statements of credit can be retrieved by participants online at cpnp.org immediately upon successful completion of the course.

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Internet Explorer 6+, Firefox 2+ or Safari 3+
1024x768 resolution or greater
Adobe Flash Player 8+
512MB RAM
Any Operating System capable of the above requirements

Recommended:

Internet Explorer 7+, Firefox 3+ or Safari 3+
1280x768 resolution or greater
Adobe Flash Player 10+
Windows XP/2000/Vista and Mac OS 10.4 or better
512MB of RAM for Windows XP or Mac OS
1GB of RAM for Windows Vista

Target Audience

If you are a pharmacist, nurse practitioner or other healthcare professional involved in the medication therapy management of psychiatric and/or neurological patients, we invite you to participate in this online course.

Grant Support

This programming was supported in part by grants from Bristol-Myers Squibb, Forest Laboratories, Inc., Lilly, Schering-Plough, Cyberonics, and Shire.