Opioids News and Research

RSS

An opioid is a chemical that works by binding to opioid receptors, which are found principally in the central nervous system and the gastrointestinal tract. The receptors in these two organ systems mediate both the beneficial effects and the side effects of opioids.

Opioids contribute to rise in suicides and overdoses in the U.S.

Suicides and drug overdoses kill American adults at twice the rate today as they did just 17 years ago, and opioids are a key contributor to that rise, according to a new review and analysis by a University of Michigan team.

7 Jan 2019

Study confirms increased pneumonia risk with prescription opioids

A study led by researchers at Yale University has shown that taking prescribed opioids increases the risk of pneumonia, irrespective of HIV status.

7 Jan 2019

Women's Health Research at Yale calls on government committee to revise its report on opioid epidemic

Women's Health Research at Yale (WHRY) is calling on a government committee to revise its report on a coordinated response to the opioid epidemic so that it reflects the unique needs of women.

6 Jan 2019

Lessons from successes and failures of AIDS epidemic could inform our response to opioid crisis

There are important lessons to be learned from the successes and failures of the AIDS response that could inform our response to the opioid epidemic, according to a new paper by researchers at the Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health.

4 Jan 2019

New wireless and battery-free implant to control targeted neuron groups

University of Arizona biomedical engineering professor Philipp Gutruf is first author on the paper Fully implantable, optoelectronic systems for battery-free, multimodal operation in neuroscience research, published in Nature Electronics.

3 Jan 2019

Almost 9000 children and teens died from opioid poisonings in over two decades, finds study

Nearly 9,000 children and adolescents died from opioid poisonings with prescription and illicit drugs between 1999 and 2016 based on an analysis of national data.

31 Dec 2018

Study assesses when opioid overdose patients can be safely discharged after naloxone treatment

Naloxone has saved thousands of lives. But can patients be safely discharged from the Emergency Department (ED) just an hour after they receive the medication that curtails drug overdoses?

28 Dec 2018

Researchers discover extent of opioid use and abuse in head and neck cancer patients

Cancer patients are often prescribed pain medications, for example during recovery from surgical procedures. However, for many cancer patients, the use of opioid pain medications during treatment can be a gateway to misuse or addiction once treatment ends.

27 Dec 2018

Study examines opioid prescribing rates for pediatric patients in EDs

Opioids for pain management in pediatric patients are sometimes necessary but their use has raised concerns about the effects of opioids and later abuse.

21 Dec 2018

Urine drug testing can be useful tool for addiction treatment in primary care setting

A new study performed by Boston Medical Center and faculty at the Boston University School of Medicine shows that urine drug testing can be a useful tool to treat patients with opioid use disorder in a primary care setting.

20 Dec 2018

Hep C and drug abuse often go hand in hand, but screening for infection lags

When people seek help at a drug treatment center for an opioid addiction, concerns about having contracted hepatitis C are generally low on their list.

19 Dec 2018

UC San Diego Health offers new DRG stimulation device for phantom limb pain

In May 2000, Raul Silva was involved in a motorcycle accident in Baja California, Mexico, badly breaking his left femur, or thighbone. He underwent emergency surgery in Mexicali and, at first, everything seemed fine. Then an infection set in, worsened, and Silva eventually made his way to San Diego, where his left leg was amputated.

18 Dec 2018

Early postpartum initiation of opioids associated with persistent use

Vanderbilt researchers have published findings indicating that regardless of whether a woman delivers a child by cesarean section or by vaginal birth, if they fill prescriptions for opioid pain medications early in the postpartum period, they are at increased risk of developing persistent opioid use.

18 Dec 2018

Study finds misuse of benzodiazepines to be highest among young adults

More than one in eight U.S. adults used benzodiazepines in the past year, up from previous reports. Misuse of the prescription drugs accounted for more than 17 percent of overall use, according to a study published online today in Psychiatric Services in Advance.

17 Dec 2018

America's teens report dramatic increase in their use of vaping devices in just one year

America's teens report a dramatic increase in their use of vaping devices in just a single year, with 37.3 percent of 12th graders reporting "any vaping" in the past 12 months, compared to just 27.8 percent in 2017.

17 Dec 2018

Early physical therapy associated with reduction in opioid use

Patients who underwent physical therapy soon after being diagnosed with pain in the shoulder, neck, low back or knee were approximately 7 to 16 percent less likely to use opioids in the subsequent months, according to a new study by researchers at the Stanford University School of Medicine and the Duke University School of Medicine.

14 Dec 2018

Nurse denied life insurance because she carries naloxone

Bloodwork was supposed to be the last step in Isela’s application for life insurance. But when she arrived at the lab, her appointment had been canceled.

14 Dec 2018

Study: Chronic opioid therapy associated with increased healthcare spending and hospital stays

Using data from commercial insurance claims of working-aged adults, new research published in the December issue of The American Journal of Accountable Care found that chronic opioid therapy for noncancer pain is associated with increased healthcare spending as well as hospital stays.

14 Dec 2018

Fentanyl surpasses heroin in cause of U.S. drug overdose deaths

According to a new report from health officials, Fentanyl – a synthetic opioid drug, is surpassing heroin as cause of drug overdose deaths in the United States. The report was released 12th of December 2018 in the CDC’s National Vital Statistics Report.

13 Dec 2018

Virginia Tech and UC San Diego researchers team up to develop nonopioid drug for chronic pain

Researchers from the Virginia Tech School of Neuroscience are teaming with the University of California San Diego and the U.S. National Institutes of Health to develop a drug -- now in its earliest stages -- that can treat certain types of chronic pain without the addictive consequences of opioids.

12 Dec 2018

Opioids News and Research

Further Reading

Opioids contribute to rise in suicides and overdoses in the U.S.

Study confirms increased pneumonia risk with prescription opioids

Women's Health Research at Yale calls on government committee to revise its report on opioid epidemic

Lessons from successes and failures of AIDS epidemic could inform our response to opioid crisis

New wireless and battery-free implant to control targeted neuron groups

Almost 9000 children and teens died from opioid poisonings in over two decades, finds study

Study assesses when opioid overdose patients can be safely discharged after naloxone treatment

Researchers discover extent of opioid use and abuse in head and neck cancer patients

Study examines opioid prescribing rates for pediatric patients in EDs

Urine drug testing can be useful tool for addiction treatment in primary care setting

Hep C and drug abuse often go hand in hand, but screening for infection lags

UC San Diego Health offers new DRG stimulation device for phantom limb pain

Early postpartum initiation of opioids associated with persistent use

Study finds misuse of benzodiazepines to be highest among young adults

America's teens report dramatic increase in their use of vaping devices in just one year

Early physical therapy associated with reduction in opioid use

Nurse denied life insurance because she carries naloxone

Study: Chronic opioid therapy associated with increased healthcare spending and hospital stays

Fentanyl surpasses heroin in cause of U.S. drug overdose deaths

Virginia Tech and UC San Diego researchers team up to develop nonopioid drug for chronic pain

Achieving and maintaining ISO/IEC 27001 and BS 10012 certifications

Expanding research and clinical options for children with cancer

Examining how pain could play a direct protective role in the gut

Latest News