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Reducing Opioid Reliance: Updating Acute Pain Management With Novel Non-Opioid Analgesics

Podcast

Effective acute pain management requires balancing adequate pain relief with the risks and limitations of available analgesics. This expert-led podcast explores emerging non-opioid treatment options, including selective NaV1.8 inhibition with suzetrigine, and the role of multimodal analgesia in acute pain management. Through clinical cases, experts discuss individualized treatment selection, medication safety considerations, and strategies to reduce opioid reliance while supporting functional recovery.

Released: October 28, 2026

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Provided by Clinical Care Options, LLC dba Decera Clinical Education

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Supporters

This activity is supported by an educational grant from Vertex Pharmaceuticals.

Vertex Pharmaceuticals

Target Audience

This activity is intended for healthcare professionals involved in the management of acute pain, including physicians, nurses, physician associates, and those practicing in gynecology, urology, internal medicine, family medicine, emergency medicine, general surgery, plastic surgery and orthopedic surgery.

Learning Objectives

Upon completion of this activity, participants should be able to:

  • Summarize unmet needs related to current opioid-based therapeutic approaches for acute pain management

  • Assess mechanistic underpinnings of pain pathophysiology, including the role of voltage-gated sodium channels NaV1.7, NaV1.8, and NaV1.9 in pain transmission

  • Evaluate the mechanism of action, pharmacologic profiles, efficacy, and safety of approved and key investigational sodium channel inhibitors for acute moderate-to-severe pain management

  • Apply evidence-based strategies to optimize management of people with acute pain in a way that minimizes safety concerns while preserving quality of life

Financial Disclosures

Primary Author

Mitchell P. Engle, MD, PhD: consultant/advisor/speaker: Boston Scientific, Nalu Medical; researcher: Boston Scientific, Mesoblast, Nalu Medical, Nevro/Globus Medical, SPR Therapeutics, Saluda, Saol Therapeutics.

Kathy Kates, FNP-BC, has no relevant financial relationships to disclose.

Michael Sprintz, DO, DFASAM: owner: Advanced Genomics Lab; consultant/advisor/speaker: Spark BioMedical, Tafalgie; stock/stock options: Affect Therapeutics, Bridge Therapeutics.

Amanda Zimmerman, PA-C: consultant/advisor/speaker: Vertex.

Additional Disclosures

Generative artificial intelligence (AI) tools were used for revising or refining educational content and generating transcripts from audio/video files. All AI-assisted content underwent human review, editing, and validation by qualified faculty and accredited education staff to ensure scientific accuracy, balance, and compliance with the ACCME Standards for Integrity and Independence in Accredited Continuing Education.