Articles tagged with Analgesics
Scientists at The University of Nottingham have made a major medical discovery that could lead to the development of an entirely new type of painkiller for chronic pain conditions like traumatic nerve injury. They found that a signal protein called VEGF promotes pain while its inhibiting form prevents it.
A UT Arlington multi-disciplinary team is optimizing and integrating volumes of data to help physicians make better decisions about treating patients' pain. The project aims to remove bias in assessing treatment effects, providing doctors with more accurate information.
The American Academy of Neurology states that the risk of death, overdose, addiction, or serious side effects from prescription opioids exceeds their benefits in treating chronic, non-cancerous conditions. The AAN recommends safer prescribing practices to minimize risks.
A new study by Indiana University researchers found that combining an epilepsy medication with morphine can effectively treat neuropathic pain. The combination of the two drugs resulted in improved pain management and reduced need for opioids, offering a potential solution to the difficult-to-treat condition.
Researchers found that men and women have similar pain tolerance levels, with resilience being the main determining factor. Patients who accept their chronic pain experience less anxiety, depression, and improved quality of life.
The American College of Physicians (ACP) advises pregnant women at high risk for preeclampsia to take daily low-dose aspirin. Meanwhile, a study found that health insurance remains unaffordable for many younger adults under the Affordable Care Act, with premiums often exceeding the cost of purchasing a plan.
Researchers found that macrophages from the lungs of old mice had different responses to infections than those of young mice, but these changes were reversed by ibuprofen. The study suggests that reducing inflammation with diet, exercise, and/or drugs may help prevent or reduce diseases in the elderly.
Researchers found that antidepressants reduced pain in over half of the trials examined, but cautioned that more definitive studies are necessary to recommend their use. The review aims to inform future research directions for this area of study.
A new study found that states allowing medical marijuana have lower rates of opioid overdose deaths, with a 24.8% lower annual mortality rate after laws were enacted. The alternative treatment may provide relief for some individuals and reduce the risk of overdose.
A new study published in Circulation found that low-dose aspirin significantly reduces the risk of new venous blood clots and cardiovascular events. The treatment is especially useful for patients who cannot take long-term anticoagulant medications due to expense or bleeding risks.
A study found that states with medical marijuana laws had significantly lower average annual opioid overdose death rates compared to those without such laws. The years following implementation of these laws were also associated with decreasing overdose death rates, with strongest declines in early years.
New research suggests states with medical marijuana laws have 25% lower prescription opioid overdose death rates compared to those without. This could be due to people choosing alternative treatments for chronic pain, or the law changing how prescription medications are abused.
Scientists have found that people with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) have a defective immune system, which is the primary reason for ongoing gut pain and reduced effectiveness of pain treatments. This groundbreaking research could lead to more targeted treatments for IBS sufferers.
Scientists developed a new compound that targets the 'receptor' responsible for pain caused by chili peppers. The compound, tested in clinical trials, has shown promise in treating various types of pain.
A study published in Anesthesiology found that GAL-021, a novel therapeutic drug, may reverse or prevent respiratory depression in patients taking opioid medication without compromising pain relief. Researchers also found that GAL-021 had no adverse effects on non-respiratory variables such as sedation or blood flow.
Emergency physicians face a growing concern of acetyl fentanyl overdoses due to its potency and potential for adulteration in street drugs marketed as heroin. The lack of regulation around acetyl fentanyl creates an environment where it can be easily distributed through networks, posing a significant risk to users.
Researchers at UC San Diego School of Medicine found that aspirin prompts the production of 15-HETE, which converts to lipoxin to reverse inflammation. This discovery may lead to new anti-inflammatory therapies by developing drugs based on lipoxin analogues.
Researchers at Trinity College Dublin found that women taking regular aspirin before diagnosis had lower rates of breast cancer spreading and death. The study suggests a possible link between aspirin use and reduced mortality from breast cancer, with further research needed to understand the mechanism and optimal dosage.
A new study found that immigrants in Ontario have a significantly lower risk of codeine overdose and death compared to those born in Canada, even when language proficiency is limited. The research suggests that physicians may not need to be as cautious in prescribing codeine for adults or new mothers from East Africa.
Taking aspirin daily for at least 10 years can significantly cut the risk of major digestive tract cancers. Rates of bowel, stomach, and oesophageal cancer are reduced by around 35% and deaths by 40%, according to a new study. However, long-term use increases the risk of bleeding and other side effects.
A study found that only 34% of men and 42% of women were told to take daily low-dose aspirin for heart attack prevention. The disconnect may be due to time constraints and uncertainty about therapy's benefits versus potential harms. Expanded primary care teams could help improve guideline adherence.
Researchers are studying how a new IBS drug, linaclotide, helps alleviate stomach pain by normalizing gut-brain communication. The study assesses the effectiveness of linaclotide in 45 IBS patients over 10 weeks.
A systematic review of 10 studies confirms ketamine's safety in critically ill patients, providing analgesia, sedation, and amnesia without significant increases in intracranial pressure or neurological outcomes. The findings support the use of ketamine as a routine treatment for life-threatening infections and unconscious patients.
A large randomized trial found paracetamol to be no better than placebo in treating acute lower back pain, challenging universal recommendations. The study suggests advice and reassurance may be more effective than pharmacological strategies for acute episodes of low-back pain.
A new study by Veronika Ilyuk and colleagues found that consumers tend to overestimate the duration of pharmacological products' effectiveness. In five studies, participants who engaged in more difficult tasks consumed medications or energy drinks more frequently than those in easier conditions. Brands can use these findings to improve...
A new study suggests that genetic variation in the COMT gene may modify the cardiovascular benefit of aspirin, with val/val women experiencing more cardiovascular events when assigned to aspirin. In contrast, met/met women showed reduced rates of cardiovascular disease when assigned to either aspirin or vitamin E.
A study published in Neural Regeneration Research found that intrathecal bumetanide increases NKCC1 expression and decreases KCC2 expression in spinal cord neurons of rats with incisional pain. This suggests that intrathecal bumetanide may have analgesic effects through inhibition of NKCC1.
A new drug, naloxegol, has shown promising results in relieving constipation caused by opioid painkillers. The once-a-day pill maintains opioids' pain-killing effect and blocks their effects in the bowels without diminishing pain relief, offering relief to millions of patients experiencing chronic severe pain.
A telephone-delivered telecare intervention improved chronic musculoskeletal pain compared to usual care, with nearly twice as many patients experiencing a 30% reduction in pain score. The intervention was associated with clinically meaningful improvements in pain and treatment satisfaction.
Researchers have discovered that aspirin use slows down certain aging processes of the genome, while smoking accelerates them. The study found a significant correlation between aspirin use and reduced DNA methylation changes in healthy women over 50 years old, suggesting a possible mechanism for cancer prevention.
A study published by the American Association for Cancer Research found that low-dose aspirin significantly reduces the risk of pancreatic cancer. The longer a person takes low-dose aspirin, the lower their risk of developing pancreatic cancer, with some evidence suggesting a greater reduction in risk over time.
Saint Louis University researchers have discovered a molecular pathway that causes painful chemotherapy side effects and found a potential way to block it. A drug already approved for treating multiple sclerosis may also alleviate chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN) without affecting the medication's anticancer properties.
African American women are more resistant to the anti-inflammatory effects of aspirin compared to white women, according to a new study. The research found that African American women experienced a reduced response to aspirin therapy in reducing cardiovascular disease and its risk factors.
A study led by Priscille Brodin and Laurent Marsollier found that the toxin mycolactone from Mycobacterium ulcerans limits the transmission of pain signals to the brain. This mechanism may lead to the development of new analgesics.
A major public health problem is emerging due to an increase in deaths from prescribed painkillers, with over 16,000 US deaths in 2010 alone. The review identifies factors such as increased opioid prescriptions, combined use of opioids and other substances, and social demographic factors as contributing causes.
A study found that statin users engaged in less moderate and vigorous physical activity, while having more sedentary behavior. The possible reasons for this include general muscle pain caused by statins.
Researchers create systematic map of pain acuity distribution across body, revealing surprising similarities with touch sensitivity. The study uses lasers to cause pain in healthy volunteers and a rare patient lacking touch sensation, demonstrating that pain acuity does not rely on touch.
A new study published in the New England Journal of Medicine found that naloxegol increased bowel movements among patients with opioid-induced constipation, providing rapid and sustained relief without compromising pain management. The investigational drug is designed to block opioids from binding to receptors in the gastrointestinal t...
A new online training module improved medical student clinical skills in evaluating chronic pain, with 93% of exposed students passing an exam compared to 60% of non-exposed students. The module is the first curriculum resource created through the NIH Pain Consortium's Centers of Excellence in Pain Education program.
A new study published in The Journal of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery found that low-dose anticoagulation therapy can be safely used with a newer generation mechanical heart valve. Patients under 65 years old who received this valve had significantly lower risk of bleeding without an increased incidence of thromboembolism.
Researchers have discovered how cone snail venom Vc1.1 works to reduce neuropathic pain by targeting specific calcium channels in neurons. This breakthrough could lead to the development of synthetic versions of Vc1.1 to treat certain types of chronic pain.
Researchers from the University of Pennsylvania have combined graphene with a painkiller receptor to create an artificial chemical sensor. The device uses electrical responses instead of biochemical ones, allowing it to be read out by a computer. This technology has potential applications in drug development and various diagnostic tests.
Researchers found that aspirin inhibits wound healing by reducing the production of 12-HHT, a molecule promoting epithelial layer restoration. A synthetic BLT2 agonist accelerated wound healing in diabetic mice, suggesting potential treatments for chronic wounds.
Researchers identified a single-letter change in DNA that turns cold-sensitive TRP ion channels into heat-activated ones, offering potential for more specific pain relievers with less severe side effects. The study could lead to the development of analgesic compounds to treat chronic pain by targeting temperature-sensitive molecules.
A large-scale study found that patient satisfaction with postoperative pain treatment is linked to perceptions of improvement and the patient-caregiver relationship. Patients who feel involved in their care experience higher levels of satisfaction.
A study found that aspirin lowers colorectal cancer risk in people with high 15-PGDH gene levels, but not those with low levels. The research team analyzed data from nearly 128,000 participants and discovered a link between 15-PGDH and the anti-cancer effects of aspirin.
A new study from UCSF found that codeine is frequently prescribed to children in US emergency rooms, with up to 877,000 prescriptions per year. The researchers recommend using safer alternatives like ibuprofen or hydrocodone, and changing prescribing patterns to reduce codeine use.
Researchers at King's College London have identified new pain relief targets that could help chemotherapy patients who suffer from persistent pain. The discovery was made by investigating how pain occurs in nerves and found that the immune system plays a key role in causing pain.
Saint Louis University researcher Jeffrey Scherrer is investigating the link between chronic opioid use and depression risk. He will analyze medical records of 1 million patients, including those with VA and private sector prescriptions, to understand the impact of opioid exposure on mental health.
Researchers at Scripps Research Institute receive $472,500 grant to study impact of pain medication exposure in womb on developing brain. The two-year study will use rodent models to understand how subtle changes in brain wiring might lead to later changes in behavior.
A meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials found that relationship-focused training had a small but statistically significant effect on measured health outcomes in patients with conditions such as obesity and diabetes. The study suggests that a good patient-clinician relationship can produce health effects similar to some common t...
A systematic evidence review found daily low-dose aspirin can prevent preeclampsia complications by 24% and preterm birth by 14%, with no identified harms. A new approach to breast cancer research suggests reevaluating mammography screening and focusing on prevention through lifestyle changes.
A study of 1228 women found that low-dose aspirin did not improve live birth rates or reduce pregnancy loss, but showed benefits for those who had experienced a single pregnancy loss within the previous year. Women should consult their healthcare providers before taking any medication while trying to conceive.
A study of 999 patients found that low-dose aspirin use after colon cancer diagnosis was associated with improved overall survival, particularly among those with HLA class I antigen expression. The molecular mechanisms underlying this effect are not fully understood.
Patients given aspirin after non-heart-related surgery had a higher risk of serious bleeding than those who did not receive aspirin. Aspirin did not reduce incidence of post-operative heart attacks and death, according to data from POISE-2.
A recent study published in Annals of Emergency Medicine found no correlation between painkillers, including opiates, and patient satisfaction scores in emergency departments. Instead, factors such as increasing age and male gender were linked to higher satisfaction scores.
A new microfluidic method simulates blood flowing through narrowed coronary arteries to evaluate anti-clotting drugs like aspirin. The study found that while aspirin can prevent dangerous clots in some patients, it may not be effective for those with narrowed arteries.
Breast cancer is a significant global health issue, with over 1.6 million new cases diagnosed annually. The disease disproportionately affects low-income countries, where late-stage diagnosis and limited treatment options contribute to high mortality rates.
Researchers create experimental substances based on a tiny protein found in cone snail venom that could lead to the development of safe and effective oral medications for chronic nerve pain. The new substances are about 100 times more potent than morphine or gabapentin, with fewer side effects and lower risk of abuse.
Researchers found a dramatic rise in opioid analgesic prescriptions during US emergency department visits from 2001 to 2010, with some opioids increasing by 668.2 percent. Despite modest increases in painful conditions, the findings suggest a concerning trend that may lead to misuse and addiction.