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.

Understanding how men and women process pain differently

In a new study evaluating meditation for chronic lower back pain, researchers at University of California San Diego School of Medicine have discovered that men and women utilize different biological systems to relieve pain.

16 Oct 2024

University of Michigan receives grant to study pain management in opioid use disorder

The University of Michigan will use a new $3.6 million federal grant to study how pain and opioids after surgery impact people with opioid use disorder, how guidelines might be adjusted to address post-surgical pain and how to prevent opioid-related harms.

12 Oct 2024

Smoking cessation programs could help combat opioid epidemic

Smoking is recognized as a leading cause of preventable disability and death. New research shows that as smokers increase their daily number of cigarettes, they report higher rates of chronic pain, more prescription opioid use, severe work limitations due to pain, and poor mental health.

9 Oct 2024

Tiny molecule offers hope in reducing opioid side effects

Opioid drugs are highly effective at relieving pain but come with severe drawbacks. Their side effects range from dizziness to potentially fatal respiratory depression.

9 Oct 2024

Poppy seed brew triggers morphine overdose, drawing attention of lawmakers

It sounds like a joke: poppy seeds infused with opioids. Indeed, it was a plotline on the sitcom Seinfeld. But for some it has been a tragedy.

9 Oct 2024

New deep-learning framework identifies non-addictive pain relief options

An estimated one in five Americans live with chronic pain and current treatment options leave much to be desired.

7 Oct 2024

Study paves way to more efficient non-addictive treatment for chronic pain

Researchers at Karolinska Institutet in Sweden have developed a new comprehensive mapping of genetic activity for understanding the causes of chronic pain.

4 Oct 2024

NIH supports research on non-opioid pain relief for oral cancer patients

The School of Dentistry at The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio (UT Health San Antonio) earned the first National Institutes of Health grant under its new Center for Pain Therapeutics and Addiction Research, addressing pain in patients with head and neck carcinoma.

4 Oct 2024

Vance-Walz debate highlighted clear health policy differences

Ohio Republican Sen. JD Vance and Minnesota Democratic Gov. Tim Walz met in an Oct. 1 vice presidential debate hosted by CBS News that was cordial and heavy on policy discussion — a striking change from the Sept. 10 debate between Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump.

2 Oct 2024

AAP publishes first clinical guideline for opioid use in pediatric care

The American Academy of Pediatrics has published its first clinical guideline for pediatricians on prescribing opioids, including explicit instructions on how and when to prescribe these medications for pain while reducing the long-term risk of addiction.

30 Sep 2024

Study highlights inequities in emergency care for unintentional ingestions in children

Unintentional injuries like falls, drownings and poisonings are the leading cause of death in patients ages 1-4, and a significant portion of these deaths are linked to unintentional ingestions - such as swallowing a drug or poison.

27 Sep 2024

Study links semaglutide to reduced opioid overdose risk in patients with OUD and diabetes

Since being deemed a public health emergency in 2017, opioids are responsible for 72% of drug overdose deaths in the United States, according to the National Center for Drug Abuse Statistics.

25 Sep 2024

Endoscopic spine surgery reduces opioid use and postoperative pain

An emerging type of minimally invasive spine surgery reduces the use of pain medication in patients' recovery compared to those who undergo other less minimally invasive spine surgery, which use larger incisions that result in more postoperative pain, according to a study published in World Neurosurgery in September.

20 Sep 2024

New curriculum aims to address substance use disorders in medical education

Nearly 6,000 opioid-related overdose deaths occurred in California in 2021, many due to fentanyl, a synthetic opioid.

19 Sep 2024

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

Opioids News and Research

Further Reading

Understanding how men and women process pain differently

University of Michigan receives grant to study pain management in opioid use disorder

Smoking cessation programs could help combat opioid epidemic

Tiny molecule offers hope in reducing opioid side effects

Poppy seed brew triggers morphine overdose, drawing attention of lawmakers

New deep-learning framework identifies non-addictive pain relief options

Study paves way to more efficient non-addictive treatment for chronic pain

NIH supports research on non-opioid pain relief for oral cancer patients

Vance-Walz debate highlighted clear health policy differences

AAP publishes first clinical guideline for opioid use in pediatric care

Study highlights inequities in emergency care for unintentional ingestions in children

Study links semaglutide to reduced opioid overdose risk in patients with OUD and diabetes

Endoscopic spine surgery reduces opioid use and postoperative pain

New curriculum aims to address substance use disorders in medical education

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

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

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

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

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

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

Event guide: The Non-Opioid Pain Therapeutics Summit eBook

The Critical Role of Sample Storage in Drug Discovery and Development

Advancing Neuroscience Research Through Collaboration and Patient-Centered Innovation

The impact of vibration on microscopy

Latest News