Research on opioids, addiction, and treatment. Covers traditional care practices, opioid treatment in pregnancy, illicit fentanyl, and treatment disparities.
The guidelines, published in the Journal of the American College of Surgeons, recommend custom-tailored pain management regimens based on the operation and patient needs. The ranges offered for each procedure generally call for reductions from current rates of opioid prescription.
A new study investigates pre-existing perceptions about pain medications in individuals with chronic pain, revealing that personalized care by a pharmacist can have a significant impact on patient experiences and outcomes.
A USC study found that when clinicians are given information about a patient's fatal overdose, they prescribe fewer powerful painkillers. Clinicians who received a letter from the county medical examiner were 9.7% less likely to prescribe opioids in the following three months.
A recent survey conducted by the Center for Health, Work & Environment found that 13% of veterinarians in Colorado had seen a client intentionally injure or abuse an animal to obtain prescription painkillers. The study's results highlight the need for better training and surveillance to address opioid misuse among pet owners.
A letter from a medical examiner to a physician about a recent fatal overdose can inspire safer prescribing habits, a new study suggests. The research found that physicians who received such letters prescribed 9.7% fewer opioids over three months.
A new study from Michigan Medicine reveals that young people who receive opioid prescriptions immediately before or after wisdom teeth removal are nearly three times as likely to keep using opioids weeks or months later. Those in their late teens and twenties have the highest odds of persistent opioid use.
Researchers found that opioid prescription rates have remained flat for commercially insured patients over the past decade, but rates for some Medicare patients are leveling off. The study of 48 million U.S. patients showed high rates of opioid use among disabled Medicare Advantage recipients.
A study published in The BMJ found that US opioid use has not declined over the last decade, with higher average daily doses in 2017 compared to 2007. Disabled Medicare beneficiaries were particularly prone to opioid use, taking higher doses for longer periods.
Researchers at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center have identified depression, back pain, and previous drug use as significant risk factors for prolonged opioid use after surgery or trauma. Effective pain management strategies with a lower risk of prolonged opioid use can help physicians mitigate this issue.
A new poll by U-M/AARP National Poll on Healthy Aging reveals that 74% of older adults support limiting opioid prescription amounts, while many struggle with safe storage and disposal of unused pills. The findings highlight the need for better counseling and resources to combat the opioid epidemic among this critical demographic.
A study published in Spine Journal found that patients taking opioids for at least three months before spinal fusion surgery were more likely to continue taking opioids one year after surgery, with rates of 42% vs. 9% in the opioid-taking group compared to those who didn't take opioids before surgery.
Researchers developed prescribing recommendations for opioids after gall bladder removal and discovered a spillover effect that led to significant reductions in pill prescriptions for other major operations. The study found that the reduction in prescribing resulted in roughly 10,000 fewer pills entering the community.
A new study found significant geographic variability in opioid prescribing patterns for minor injuries, with patients in high-prescribing states receiving up to three times more prescriptions than those in low-prescribing states. Reducing unnecessary prescribing could lead to 18,000 fewer opioid tablets being prescribed.
A new study by Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health found that congressional districts in the southeastern US and Appalachia have the highest opioid prescribing rates. These areas were followed closely by rural west states. On the other hand, districts near urban centers tend to have lower prescribing rates.
A study published in The Journal of Bone & Joint Surgery found that patients taking prescription opioids for more than 60 days before total knee or hip replacement surgery are at higher risk of hospital readmission and repeat joint-replacement surgery. Prolonged opioid use was associated with an increased risk of both adverse outcomes,...
A modified botulinum toxin compound Derm-BOT successfully targets and silences pain signals from neurons in the spinal cord of mice, providing long-lasting pain relief. The compound is non-toxic, safe to manufacture, and avoids adverse effects associated with opioids.
A study found that lowering the default amount of opioid pills prescribed in a health care system's electronic medical record was associated with a decrease in the total number of opioids prescribed systemwide. This change involved reducing the default number of opioid pills from 30 to 12 in 2017.
Oregon Health & Science University researchers recommend routinely screening and treating patients for opioid abuse when they come to clinics and hospitals seeking other services. This approach can save lives and turn around the national opioid epidemic by addressing opioid use disorder as a chronic medical condition.
The National Academies have released a report on the intersection of opioid use disorder and infectious diseases, highlighting the urgent need for integrated treatment strategies. The report suggests five action steps to target both opioid use disorder and its resulting rise in infectious diseases, including screening for OUD, implemen...
An expert panel has identified parallels between the current opioid epidemic and the early days of the HIV epidemic. The panel recommends five crucial steps for clinicians treating patients affected by opioid addiction and these intersecting infections, including increasing access to addiction care and developing hospital-based protocols.
A study found that high opioid doses and concurrent sedative use are key risk factors for fatal opioid overdose among Medicaid patients. The research identified chronic pain, medical diagnoses associated with addiction, and mental health disorders as additional risk factors.
A study of 34,000 patients found nearly 1 in 4 used preoperative opioids, linked to age, tobacco use, illicit drug use, pain severity and depression. Identifying these patients can inform effective pain management plans for complex patient populations.
People with opioid use report higher rates of physical and mental health conditions, as well as other substance use. Opioid intensity is also associated with increased involvement in the criminal justice system.
Current opioid epidemic responses neglect to account for gender-specific factors, including pain sensitivity and treatment outcomes. Women are disproportionately affected by opioid addiction, with increased risk of overdose deaths and limited access to effective treatment options.
A WSU study found that stopping long-term opioid therapy does not make chronic, non-cancer-related pain worse, and in some cases, improves it. The researchers analyzed data from 551 VA patients who discontinued opioid therapy for at least a year, finding that their pain did not worsen but rather remained similar or improved slightly.
A new study by the University of Pittsburgh Graduate School of Public Health found that potentially 70,000 opioid-related overdose deaths were not included in national estimates since 1999. Incomplete death certificate reporting hampers efforts to understand the opioid epidemic's magnitude.
A new study analyzed prescription drug coverage policies for treating chronic noncancer pain, finding opportunities for insurers to redesign coverage and improve pain management. The research highlights the need to expand access to opioid alternatives through coverage and reimbursement policies.
The study found a significant association between chronic opioid use and support for President Trump in 2016. Socioeconomic factors such as income, disability, insurance coverage, and unemployment contributed to this correlation, accounting for approximately 18% of the variance in county rates of opioid use.
A study by Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health found that health insurers have not done enough to combat the opioid epidemic. The researchers analyzed coverage policies for drugs to treat chronic lower-back pain and concluded that these policies missed opportunities to steer patients towards safer treatments.
A new study from the University of Pittsburgh School of Pharmacy found that concurrent opioid and benzodiazepine use increases the risk of opioid-related overdose by five-fold compared to opioid-only use. The risk decreases after 180 days of concurrent use, but is still elevated compared to opioid-only use.
A study found that adults who survive nonfatal opioid overdoses are at high risk of dying from substance use-associated diseases, cancer, and circulatory system diseases. The study also revealed that women are more likely to die by suicide after surviving an overdose
Adults who survive opioid overdoses have exceptionally high risks of dying from respiratory diseases, viral hepatitis, and suicide. The study analyzed Medicaid records to find that survivors are substantially more likely to die of these causes than the general population.
A recent study by RAND Corporation found that more than 6 percent of Massachusetts adults received risky opioid prescriptions over a five-year period, increasing their chances of death. The study identified six types of risky prescribing practices linked to fatal opioid overdoses and other causes of mortality.
A new study from LSU Health Sciences Center found that opioids significantly increase the risk of fracture nonunion following acute and chronic administration. The researchers also suggest that certain medications, including Schedule II opioids and prescription NSAIDs, create a greater nonunion risk than non-opioid analgesics.
A review of current evidence published in Annals of Emergency Medicine suggests that emergency department-facilitated transitions to outpatient care with Medication-Assisted Treatment (MAT) lead to healthier patient outcomes. MAT improves long-term outcomes, reduces fatal overdose risk and hospitalizations.
A recent US government regulation change led to a doubling of opioids sold through dark web markets and an increase in more potent opioids being bought. The study suggests that the restricted painkiller may have driven users to seek out stronger opioids online.
The NIH HEAL Initiative is a trans-NIH effort to address the opioid crisis through science. The initiative focuses on two primary areas: improving treatments for opioid misuse and addiction, and enhancing strategies for pain management.
A recent study found that up to seven percent of patients develop a persistent habit after being prescribed opioids following surgery. To address this issue, experts recommend enhanced care coordination between surgeons and primary care physicians to identify patients at risk of developing opioid addiction.
A Kaiser Permanente study of nearly 2,500 patients found that reducing opioid doses for chronic pain did not result in lower patient satisfaction scores. Most encounters resulting in an opioid dose reduction maintained favorable overall satisfaction.
A study published in The Journal of Bone & Joint Surgery found that patients who take prescription opioids for a longer period before spinal surgery are more likely to continue using opioids several months after surgery. Duration of opioid use before surgery was the main risk factor for continued use. After adjustment, the likelihood o...
A study by The Dartmouth Institute found that a federal regulation change from 2013-2017 led to gaps in substance abuse data, affecting prevalence estimates of chronic conditions like hepatitis C and depression. This can result in underestimated rates of co-morbidity, particularly among younger populations.
A recent study published in JAMA Network Open found that one in every five deaths among young adults in the United States is related to opioids. The proportion of deaths attributable to opioids increased by nearly 300% between 2001 and 2016, with men representing about 70% of all opioid-related deaths.
The article highlights conflicting guidance on opioid prescribing, potentially jeopardizing pain management for patients with cancer. Key areas of concern include CDC guideline recommendations that don't align with NCCN guidelines, and the lack of evidence for non-pharmacologic treatments to manage moderate to severe pain.
A novel gene encoding the enzyme thebaine synthase has been isolated from the opium poppy, enabling the commercial production of non-plant based biosynthetic manufacturing systems for active opioid agents and intermediates. This breakthrough opens the door to creating new opioid molecules with reduced addictiveness.
Patients who saw a physical therapist first had lower utilization of high-cost medical services and lower opioid use. They also had significantly lower out-of-pocket costs, with costs shifting towards provider settings.
A large observational study found opioid-related adverse drug events (ORADEs) were common among hospitalized patients undergoing surgery and endoscopy procedures. ORADEs were associated with worse patient outcomes, including increased risk of inpatient mortality, longer hospital stays, and higher costs.
A recent study published in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine found that fatal drug overdoses among young non-Hispanic white adults accounted for 62% of mortality rate growth between 1999 and 2015. The study highlights the rapid rise in lost life years and mortality rates for this population, particularly those aged 22-39 years.
A new study published in Anesthesiology found that liposomal bupivacaine, a long-acting local anesthetic, did not reduce opioid prescriptions or complications after total knee replacement surgery. The study included over 88,000 patients and found no significant benefit from adding liposomal bupivacaine to multimodal pain management reg...
Clinicians in safety-net hospitals feel morally distressed by policies preventing them from performing hemodialysis to undocumented immigrants, except in emergency situations. Emergency-only hemodialysis has a high mortality rate and is associated with burnout among clinicians.
A large-scale study found that inpatient opioid use and insufficient weaning before discharge may increase outpatient opioid prescriptions. Nearly half of patients who received opioids during hospitalization were more likely to report outpatient opioid use within 90 days.
The US mental health system struggles to deliver behavioral healthcare to populations in need due to significant human resource issues. Research reveals substantial shortages of psychiatrists, psychologists, and other mental health professionals, particularly in rural areas.
A new study from St. Michael's Hospital found that nearly one-quarter of initial opioid prescriptions in Ontario had doses exceeding the suggested threshold of 50 milligram morphine equivalents. Dental pain accounted for a significant number of these prescriptions, while postsurgical pain patients often started on higher daily doses.
A new study reveals that pharmaceutical payments to doctors increase their opioid prescribing rates, with a 9.3% spike in opioid claims among those who received marketing in 2015. The study recommends regulatory limits on payments to curb the problem.
A pilot study at Yale University found that reducing IV opioid dosing by 84% and switching to non-IV methods resulted in similar or improved pain scores for hospitalized patients. The study's findings suggest that less is more when it comes to prescription opioids for hospital patients.
A study found that nonresearch payments from pharmaceutical industry marketing of opioid products were associated with higher opioid prescribing rates. The research used two U.S databases to identify all nonresearch payments and gather information on opioid prescriptions written by physicians for Medicare beneficiaries in 2015.
Researchers are studying how stress produces pain and developing a potential treatment for stress-related chronic pain conditions. The team, led by Dr. Frank Porreca, will analyze neurons in the amygdala that respond to stress through signaling at the kappa opioid receptor.
The largest health burden from substance use is attributed to tobacco smoking, with nearly one in seven adults worldwide smoking. In contrast, illicit drug use is less common, with fewer than one in twenty people using cannabis in the past year.
Researchers funded by NIH find that opioids produce effects by binding to receptors inside neurons, not just on surface, providing new insights into pain medication development. The discovery may help guide design of safer pain relievers without addiction risks.
A multidisciplinary panel of experts discussed the role of medicinal cannabis in alleviating chronic pain and easing the opioid crisis. Despite strict federal laws, state laws allowing medicinal cannabis have impacted communities most affected by opioid use.
A study found that providing clinicians with timely and actionable feedback on their opioid prescribing data significantly decreases future opioid prescribing among those who underestimate their baseline prescribing. This intervention may help combat the opioid epidemic by addressing inaccurate provider self-awareness.