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The Outcome Tool Survey is now available for "Managing Rheumatoid Arthritis in the Primary Care Setting" participants
Rheumatoid arthritis is associated with significant social and occupational disability. As such, treatment choices are critical to help reduce pain and acute inflammation, and to prevent joint damage and disease progression. NSAIDs, for example, help relieve the symptoms of RA but do not slow or arrest the progression of the disease. DMARDs on the other hand can change the course of the disease. While efficacy is important, the safety of these agents is as important to the clinician making therapeutic decisions. The Food and Drug Administration issued a warning that all NSAIDs, including COX-2 inhibitors, may cause an increased risk of serious blood clots, heart attacks and stroke. DMARDs are recognized to have common adverse events related to liver and bone marrow toxicity, renal toxicity, pneumonitis allergic skin reactions, autoimmunity and infections. Monitoring efficacy, toxicity, loss of response to treatment, complications and adverse effects related to the RA treatment is critical. Regular monitoring of disease activity and adverse events will also guide the decisions regarding DMARD choice and any needed changes in treatment strategy.
This program will provide an overview of Methotrexate; explore when to use others such as Sulfasalazine; contraindications; and office assessment tools of RA activity, such as the modified Health Assessment Questionnaire disability index, patient pain assessment, and patient global assessment.
Target Audience
This program is intended for family practitioners, general internists, advanced nurse practitioners, physician assistants and other healthcare providers.
Program Objectives
- Review the role of primary care in the management of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and its comorbidities
- Identify the clinical characteristics of RA and the concept of pattern recognition as it applies to chronic inflammatory arthritis
- Identify histologic, anatomic, and physiologic considerations that contribute to the pathogenesis of RA
- Describe treatment goals and/or outcome measures for managing RA
- Devise strategies for implementing RA therapies to maximize their safety and efficacy
- Apply evidence and best practices to manage the complexities of RA in the primary care setting
- Describe the systemic complications of RA and integrate the treatment of comorbidities into patients' overall treatment plan
Faculty
John J. Cush, MD
Director of Clinical Rheumatology
Baylor Research Institute
Professor of Medicine and Rheumatology
Baylor University Medical Center
Clinical Professor of Internal Medicine
University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center
Dallas, Texas
Robin A. Hall, DO
Private Practice
Destination Health
Southlake, Texas
Assistant Clinical Professor
Department of Family Practice
University of North Texas Health Science Center
Fort Worth, Texas
Release and Termination Dates
Release: Wednesday, January 27, 2010
12:00 PM - 12:30 PM ET
Termination: Wednesday, January 26, 2011
Accreditation
Physician
The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) to provide continuing medical education for physicians.
The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center designates this educational activity for a maximum of 0.5 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™. Physicians should only claim credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.
Nursing
The Camenae Group, Inc, is an approved provider of continuing nursing education by the Texas Nurses Association, an accredited approver by the American Nurses Credentialing Center's Commission on Accreditation. This activity meets Type I criteria for mandatory continuing education requirements toward relicensure as established by the Board of Nursing.
The Camenae Group, Inc. provides up to 4.5 contact hours for successful completion of this educational activity (0.5 contact hours for each Part).
This activity is supported by educational donations provided by Amgen and Pfizer Inc.
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