Low Dose Naltrexone: Off-Label Applications in Autoimmune Disease Management
This comprehensive online continuing education course equips nurses with evidence-informed knowledge on Low Dose Naltrexone (LDN) and its emerging off-label applications in autoimmune and inflammatory disorders. Originally developed for the treatment of opioid and alcohol dependence, naltrexone at low doses has demonstrated promising immunomodulatory and anti-inflammatory properties.
Through five in-depth chapters, learners will explore LDN’s history, pharmacology, and mechanisms of action, as well as its potential role in conditions such as Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, multiple sclerosis, inflammatory bowel disease, fibromyalgia, long COVID, cancer, and neurodegenerative diseases. The course emphasizes clinical application, patient selection, dosing strategies, safety considerations, and the nurse’s role in patient education and monitoring.
Ethical and legal considerations surrounding off-label prescribing are addressed, along with a review of the latest research findings and future directions for LDN in chronic disease management. Assessment questions at the end of each chapter reinforce learning and support competency in applying this knowledge to practice.
Through five in-depth chapters, learners will explore LDN’s history, pharmacology, and mechanisms of action, as well as its potential role in conditions such as Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, multiple sclerosis, inflammatory bowel disease, fibromyalgia, long COVID, cancer, and neurodegenerative diseases. The course emphasizes clinical application, patient selection, dosing strategies, safety considerations, and the nurse’s role in patient education and monitoring.
Ethical and legal considerations surrounding off-label prescribing are addressed, along with a review of the latest research findings and future directions for LDN in chronic disease management. Assessment questions at the end of each chapter reinforce learning and support competency in applying this knowledge to practice.
Questions? Check out our FAQs page and How Online IV Certification Works!
Objectives
Upon completion of this course, participants should be able to:
- State the typical dose range for LDN.
- List the mechanisms of action for LDN.
- State the common contraindications for Low Dose Naltrexone.
- Identify conditions with preliminary clinical evidence supporting LDN use.
- Explain the nursing responsibilities for patients on LDN.
- State the appropriate titration of Low Dose Naltrexone dosing.
- Identify common side effects of LDN.
- Identify important ethical considerations when initiating Low Dose Naltrexone for off-label conditions.
Curriculum
Chapter 1: Introduction to Low Dose Naltrexone (LDN)
- Background and Approval History
- What Makes It “Low Dose”
- Mechanistic Differences at Low vs. High Doses
- Regulatory Status and Clinical Implications
- Endorphin Upregulation and Immune Modulation
- TLR4 Antagonism and Microglial Inhibition
- Cytokine and Immune-Regulatory Effects
- Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis
- Inflammatory Bowel Disease (Crohn’s and Ulcerative Colitis)
- Multiple Sclerosis (MS) and Chronic Pain Conditions
- Long COVID
- Chronic Insomnia
- Cancer
- Alzheimer’s Disease, Dementia, and Strokes
- Dosing Strategies
- Side Effects and Tolerability
- Perioperative Considerations
- Ethical Considerations
- Legal and Scope-of-Practice Issues
- Research Gaps and Future Directions
- Promising New Applications
- References
- Implicit Bias Statement
Price: $12.00
Contact Hour: 1
Course Author
Kendall Moore
Kendall is a 2022 Magna Cum Laude graduate from Tyler Junior College with an Associates Degree in Nursing. She has a huge passion for all things nutrition and hormone health, is a member of the American Holistic Nurses Association and is enrolled in Pacific College's RN-to-BSN in Holistic Nursing program. Upon graduation, Kendall intends to begin a Nutritional Therapy Practitioner program!
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