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Neural circuits respond to rapid dopamine surges

Researchers assess the pharmacodynamics of dopamine signaling, brain connectivity/activity, and self-documented 'high' following methylphenidate exposure.v

14 Nov 2023

Minnesota data-sharing model tracks drug overdose hospital and ED trends

In a recently released study, researchers at Hennepin Healthcare and other Minnesota health systems describe how a COVID-19 collaboration across Minnesota health systems was adapted to monitor near-real-time trends in substance use–related hospital and emergency department (ED) visits.

10 Nov 2023

CDC publishes updated and expanded recommendations for clinicians providing pain care

Pain affects the lives of millions of Americans every day and improving pain care and the lives of patients with pain is a public health imperative.

10 Nov 2023

Another GOP primary debate … another night of verbal clashes

On Wednesday night, a shrinking group of GOP Republican presidential hopefuls — former South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, businessman Vivek Ramaswamy, Sen. Tim Scott, and former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie — faced off in Miami for their party's third debate.

9 Nov 2023

New prediction model estimates risk of opioid relapse early in treatment

A newly developed prediction model may be able to calculate the risk of opioid relapse among individuals in the early stages of medication treatment-;as early as three weeks into therapy.

3 Nov 2023

Gubernatorial candidates quarrel over glory for winning opioid settlements

Opioid settlement cash is not inherently political. It's not the result of a law passed by Congress nor an edit to the state budget. It's not taxpayer money. Rather, it's coming from health care companies that were sued for fueling the opioid crisis with prescription painkillers.

1 Nov 2023

USDA grant awarded to MU researchers to reduce opioid overdoses and suicides in Rural Missouri

Childhood trauma is a key risk factor for future substance use disorder, overdose, and suicide. This is particularly problematic in rural areas where children experience higher rates of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs).

27 Oct 2023

Study identifies predictors of opioid overdose after prescription for chronic pain

A large study published in CMAJ (Canadian Medical Association Journal) https://www.cmaj.ca/lookup/doi/10.1503/cmaj.230459 identified 10 predictors of opioid overdose after prescription for chronic pain, which can help clinicians engage in shared decision-making with patients around opioid prescribing.

24 Oct 2023

Using opioid settlement cash for police gear like squad cars and scanners sparks debate

Policing expenses mount quickly: $25,000 for a law enforcement conference about fentanyl in Colorado; $18,000 for technology to unlock cellphones in Southington, Connecticut; $2,900 for surveillance cameras and to train officers and canines in New Lexington, Ohio. And in other communities around the country, hundreds of thousands for vehicles, body scanners, and other equipment.

23 Oct 2023

Feds try to head off growing problem of overdoses among expectant mothers

When Andria Peterson began working as a clinical pharmacist in the pediatric and neonatal intensive care units at St. Rose Dominican Hospital in Henderson, Nevada, in 2009, she witnessed the devastating effects the opioid crisis had on the hospital's youngest patients.

19 Oct 2023

Telehealth may improve access and retention for opioid use disorder treatment

Starting buprenorphine treatment for opioid use disorder through telehealth was associated with an increased likelihood of staying in treatment longer compared to starting treatment in a non-telehealth setting, according to a new study analyzing Medicaid data from 2019-2020 in Kentucky and Ohio.

18 Oct 2023

Pregnant and addicted: Homeless women see hope in street medicine

Five days after giving birth, Melissa Crespo was already back on the streets, recovering in a damp, litter-strewn water tunnel, when she got the call from the hospital.

18 Oct 2023

Opioid use disorder treatment lowers risk of overdose after surgery, study finds

Although people with opioid use disorder (OUD) are significantly more likely to overdose or have a complication after major surgery than those without the disorder, using medications for the treatment of OUD before surgery may eliminate that extra risk, suggests a large, first-of-its-kind study presented at the ANESTHESIOLOGY 2023 annual meeting.

15 Oct 2023

University of Kentucky selected as the nationwide coordination center for NIH racial equity initiative

The University of Kentucky has been selected as the nationwide coordination center for a National Institutes of Health (NIH) initiative. Danelle Stevens-Watkins, Ph.D., will lead the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) Racial Equity Initiative as principal investigator.

13 Oct 2023

Opioid prescribing limits may not worsen patient experience after common surgeries

Worries that surgery patients would have a tougher recovery if their doctors had to abide by a five-day limit on opioid pain medication prescriptions didn't play out as expected, a new study finds.

13 Oct 2023

Is "double jeopardy" of midlife and old age stalling America's life expectancy?

Study reveals that the stagnation in U.S. life expectancy since 2010 is more significantly impacted by increased mortality rates in those above 65 years old than in working-age adults. Termed "double jeopardy," this finding highlights the urgent need for targeted interventions to improve health outcomes across age groups.

11 Oct 2023

Severe maternal morbidity, opioid use, and prior hospital care linked to pregnancy-associated deaths

The majority of research and public discourse on US maternal mortality focuses on pregnancy-related maternal deaths-;deaths caused or accelerated by a pregnancy-;rather than the broader category of pregnancy-associated maternal deaths, which are deaths from any cause during pregnancy or up to one year postpartum, including those that are pregnancy-related.

11 Oct 2023

Living past 100: Healthy habits, good company, and a purpose in life

Researchers explore the secrets behind increased life expectancies, focusing on the influence of diet, lifestyle, and socio-economic changes. Centenarians, individuals living past 100, often delay age-related symptoms, suggesting a lifestyle emphasizing a balanced diet, social interaction, and regular exercise can significantly boost longevity and resilience.

10 Oct 2023

Drug overdose deaths disproportionately affect Americans without college education

Drug overdose deaths increased sharply among Americans without a college education and nearly doubled over a three-year period among those who don't have a high school diploma, according to a new RAND Corporation study.

6 Oct 2023

More schools stock overdose reversal meds, but others worry about stigma

Last year, a student fell unconscious after walking out of a bathroom at Central High School in Pueblo, Colorado.

3 Oct 2023