^{2nd Middle East Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Conference}

Managing Patients on Opioid Therapy: A Pharmacist Perspective. One of the most challenging clinical roles that pharmacist can play is the intervention in setting the pharmaco-therapeutic plan for the management of pain. The understanding of pain pathophysiology and types dictates the treatment option. Clinical Pharmacist must be able to assess the type of pain, to understand the available treatment options of con-analgesics and opioids, be able to safely dose and convert from one opioid to another, and monitor for opioid related side effects. Opioids are highly prescribed in moderate to severe pain as per the WHO analgesic ladder. Clinical Pharmacist should be knowledgeable enough about opioid dosing calculation and conversion from one opioid to another, and the selection of the opioids based on patient and opioid related factors. The role of the clinical pharmacist in the multi-disciplinary pain management has increased to optimize the safe use of opioids.