Opioids News and Research

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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.

Liposomal bupivacaine shows no advantage in postoperative pain management for older adults

For older adults undergoing hemiarthroplasty for hip fracture, intraoperative use of liposomal bupivacaine does not improve pain scores or other relevant outcomes, compared to conventional bupivacaine, reports a study in The Journal of Bone & Joint Surgery.

19 Sep 2024

Researchers discover how rare cell type controls scar tissue formation in spinal cord injuries

After a spinal cord injury, nearby cells quickly rush to action, forming protective scar tissue around the damaged area to stabilize and protect it.

18 Sep 2024

Study highlights limited evidence for antidepressants in treating pain in older adults

University of Sydney research has found people over 65 are being prescribed antidepressants as pain treatment based on international guidelines that use limited evidence.

16 Sep 2024

New study finds no bias in opioid treatment suggestions by AI models

A new study from Mass General Brigham researchers provides evidence that large language models (LLMs), used for generative artificial intelligence (AI), ChatGPT-4 and Google's Gemini, demonstrated no differences in suggested opioid treatment regimens for different races or sexes.

16 Sep 2024

Study links COVID-19 to higher benzodiazepine use in postpartum women

New research from the University of Georgia suggests the COVID-19 pandemic may have had an unexpected side effect for postpartum women: more benzodiazepine prescriptions.

13 Sep 2024

Study reveals significant increase in drug overdoses in Colombia among young women

Overdose rates in Colombia involving illegal opioids, hallucinogens, stimulants and sedative psychotropic medication increased greatly during 2018-2021, mainly caused by overdoses in young women, according to a study at Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health.

12 Sep 2024

New study explores the potential of hormone therapy for opioid recovery

In the midst of America's growing opioid crisis, a much healthier alternative to long-term pain management is emerging - one affectionately known as "the cuddle hormone," or oxytocin.

11 Sep 2024

GLP-1 receptor agonists show promise in treating substance use disorders

A systematic review reveals that GLP-1 receptor agonists may help reduce certain substance use disorders, but findings are inconsistent due to study variability and patient differences.

9 Sep 2024

Study reveals neural processes behind morphine's pain relief

In a study published in Science, researchers at Karolinska Institutet describe the neural processes behind how morphine relieves pain. This is valuable knowledge because the drug has such serious side effects.

29 Aug 2024

Probenecid shows promise for easing opioid withdrawal symptoms in new study

A deeper understanding of the communication inside the body when someone is going through opioid withdrawal has led to a new clinical trial at the University of Calgary.

29 Aug 2024

Recreational drug users three times more likely to experience repeat cardiovascular events

New research presented at this year's ESC Congress 2024 in London, UK (30 Aug – 2 Sept) shows that, among patients admitted to the intensive cardiac care unit (ICCU), those with a recent history of recreational drug use are three times more likely than those with no history to experience a repeat serious cardiovascular event within one year.

28 Aug 2024

Addressing the gender gap in substance abuse treatment

Woman with opioid use disorder and who are also involved with the criminal legal system face unique challenges and stigmas that may keep them from seeking substance use treatment and harm reduction tools that could prevent overdose deaths, according to new research led by a team from Penn State.

28 Aug 2024

Public voices often ignored in states’ opioid settlement money decisions

The conversation wasn't sounding good for Kensington residents on June 20. The Philadelphia neighborhood is a critical center of the nation's opioid crisis, and the city had decided to spend $7.5 million in opioid settlement money to improve the quality of life there.

27 Aug 2024

Trump drastically inflates annual fentanyl death numbers

Former President Donald Trump claimed at a recent campaign rally that more than 300,000 Americans are dying each year from the synthetic opioid drug fentanyl, and that the number of fentanyl overdoses was the "lowest" during his administration and has skyrocketed since.

23 Aug 2024

Exploring opioid prescription trends in chronic cough treatment

Chronic cough, with symptoms lasting more than eight weeks, affects approximately one in 10 adults. Cough is among the most common reasons for seeking medical care in the United States, yet chronic cough is difficult to treat. One of the largest studies of chronic cough and one of the first to explore the use of opioids, which are known to suppress cough, to treat these patients, has found that 20 percent of patients with chronic cough received a prescription for a cough suppressant containing an opioid.

23 Aug 2024

Study reveals potential benefits of naloxone in opioid-associated cardiac arrest

Patients who overdose on opioids and have a pulse are often given naloxone (Narcan) by first responders, a common life-saving measure.

21 Aug 2024

Study highlights benefits of 20-minute mindful breathing for cancer patients

Twenty minutes of mindful breathing, which focuses a person's attention on their breath, can rapidly reduce the intensity and unpleasantness of cancer pain and relieve the associated anxiety, suggest the findings of a small comparative study, published online in the journal BMJ Supportive & Palliative Care.

20 Aug 2024

New implantable device could revolutionize opioid overdose response

A swine model to demonstrate the potential of an implantable system for opioid safety (iSOS).

19 Aug 2024

Study shows how segregated communities face challenges in filling OUD medications

Patients with a prescription for an opioid use disorder medication may have a tough time getting it filled if their pharmacy is in a community that's racially and economically segregated, according to a new study led by scientists at Oregon State University and Johns Hopkins University.

14 Aug 2024

MUSC researchers uncover the surprising role of the dorsal peduncular nucleus in opioid addiction

Opioids, like the commonly prescribed pain reliever oxycodone, are known for being highly addictive. In 2022, nearly 85,000 people died from an opioid overdose in the U.S. according to the Centers for Disease control.

12 Aug 2024