PAIN TREATMENT GUIDELINES RELEASED

SEATTLE (AP) -- The American Geriatrics Society released new guidelines
Thursday that recommend aggressively diagnosing and alleviating pain in
older Americans -- the fastest growing segment of the population.

The guidelines are the first of their kind, the medical organization said.

At their meeting here, the society said the elderly are the most likely to
suffer painful conditions that often are inadequately treated.

``As the population matures, there is a growing need for medical
information about pain management that is specific to older people,'' said
Dr. Bruce Ferrell, associate professor of medicine at the UCLA School of
Medicine.

Ferrell led a panel that developed the guidelines.

As people age, they are more likely to suffer from arthritis, back problems
and other painful conditions that aren't easily eliminated. Older people
also are likely to have multiple medical problems requiring different drug
treatments that may interact with pain medications.

``Older people often believe that some level of pain is an expected and
unavoidable aspect of aging,'' said Keela Herr, associate professor of
nursing at the University of Iowa's College of Nursing.

The guidelines recommend nondrug strategies such as patient education,
behavior modification and exercise programs, but note they often work best
when used with appropriate drug treatments.

Checked-by: Richard Lake