ABFM Pain Medicine case studies
ABFM Pain Medicine · Put your knowledge to work in context.
The Pain Medicine Certificate of Added Qualification (CAQ) is a subspecialty credential for physicians who already hold primary certification and want recognition of additional training and knowledge in pain medicine. According to ABFM, the CAQ is offered in conjunction with the American Boards of Anesthesiology, Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Psychiatry and Neurology. The ABFM Pain Medicine case studies are 5 cases and about 2,072 words.
1Agitation in Advanced Dementia After Hip Fracture
An 82-year-old woman with moderate-to-severe Alzheimer disease is admitted after a fall with an intertrochanteric femur fracture. On postoperative day 1 she is agitated, moaning, pulling at her IV, and refusing oral medications.
465 words, about 2 min2Neuropathic Pain Regimen in Stage 4 Chronic Kidney Disease
A 68-year-old man with type 2 diabetes and painful distal symmetric polyneuropathy has an eGFR of 26 mL/min/1.73 m² and A1c 8.4%. His medications are gabapentin 600 mg three times daily, duloxetine 60 mg daily, oxycodone 5 mg every 6 hours as needed (using 4–5 doses daily), lisinopril, and furosemide.
408 words, about 2 min3Epidural Steroid Injection on Anticoagulation
A 61-year-old woman with L5 radiculopathy has an MRI showing a left L4–L5 disc herniation concordant with her symptoms. She has completed 6 weeks of physical therapy and NSAIDs without adequate relief.
393 words, about 2 min4Fear-Avoidance and Opioid Escalation in Chronic Low Back Pain
A 45-year-old man has a 3-year history of chronic low back pain after a lifting injury. Pain is 8/10; he takes oxycodone 10 mg every 6 hours (60 MME/day) and cyclobenzaprine 10 mg at night.
409 words, about 2 min5Concurrent Opioid and Benzodiazepine in a High-Risk Patient
A 58-year-old woman with chronic neck pain and anxiety takes oxycodone 30 mg twice daily (90 MME/day), alprazolam 1 mg three times daily, and zolpidem 10 mg nightly. She has obesity (BMI 34), obstructive sleep apnea, and depression; she does not use CPAP.
397 words, about 2 min