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.

New open-source tool designed to predict drug overdose mortality in the U.S.

For two decades, the number of Americans who die each year from drug overdoses has steadily risen, from less than 20,000 in 1999 to more than 80,000 in 2020.

10 Jun 2021

Clinical trial investigates effectiveness of delivering HIV, substance use care through mobile clinics

A clinical trial is underway in five U.S. cities to determine whether delivering integrated health services through mobile clinics can improve HIV and substance use outcomes among people with opioid use disorder who inject drugs.

9 Jun 2021

Research opens alternative therapeutic avenues for treatment of chronic pain

Building on previous findings, scientists have demonstrated that conolidine interacts with the newly identified opioid receptor ACKR3/CXCR7.

3 Jun 2021

Study reveals prevalence of multimorbidity among people using methamphetamine

People who use methamphetamine are more likely to have health conditions, mental illness, and substance use disorders than people who do not use the drug, according to a new study by researchers at the Center for Drug Use and HIV/HCV Research (CDUHR) at NYU School of Global Public Health.

3 Jun 2021

Most prescriptions for buprenorphine are written by a small number of health care providers

Most prescriptions for the drug buprenorphine, used to treat opioid use disorder, are written by a small number of the health care providers, according to a new RAND Corporation study.

2 Jun 2021

Study reveals inequities in access to primary care among Canadian prescription opioids users

Stigma and high care needs can present barriers to the provision of high-quality primary care for people with opioid use disorder (OUD) and those prescribed opioids for chronic pain.

1 Jun 2021

Opioids like ‘lean’ permeate hip-hop culture, but dangers are downplayed

Nykerrius Williams knows about the close relationship between hip-hop and opioid use. Williams, 27, an independent rapper from Gibsland, Louisiana, who goes by the name Young Nyke, took oxycodone pills for the first time when he was 16 and has continued patterns of misuse of those pills, as well as Lortabs, Xanax and codeine cough syrups, until recently. To him, it's part of the business.

28 May 2021

Pain monitoring technology can reduce intraoperative opioid consumption

A new study has shown that effective opioid-sparing anaesthesia with dexmedetomidine can be guided with NOL pain monitoring technology (Medasense, Israel). The study showed that the NOL monitor is able to detect the effect of dexmedetomidine on the patient's pain response and enable administration of less intraoperative opioids.

26 May 2021

New peptides allow cannabis-derived drugs to fight pain in mice without side effects

An international team, led by researchers from Pompeu Fabra University (UPF) in Barcelona, Spain, David Andreu and Rafael Maldonado, has developed a peptides family that allows delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the main component of Cannabis sativa, to fight pain in mice without side effects.

20 May 2021

Clinical trial looks at cannabis as a potentially effective treatment for acute migraines

Allison Knigge was in elementary school when she started to experience migraines. They continued to get progressively worse as time went on, especially after the birth of her son.

20 May 2021

Connecticut's MAT programs have higher-than-average patient retention rates

Medication-assisted treatment, or MAT, is an important tool in the ongoing fight against opioid use dependence in the United States.

19 May 2021

Study: Duloxetine may reduce cumulative opioid use after total knee arthroplasty

In a study conducted by researchers at Hospital for Special Surgery (HSS), cumulative opioid use was reduced by 30% in a patient group that received duloxetine after total knee arthroplasty (TKA) compared with patients who received placebo.

13 May 2021

New peptide could allow cannabis to fight pain without side effects

Many people live with chronic pain, and in some cases, cannabis can provide relief. But the drug also can significantly impact memory and other cognitive functions.

12 May 2021

Opioid prescribing behavior can also be decreased by supply shortage, shows study

When evaluating the opioid crisis, research reveals that external factors - such as the volume of pre-filled syringes, or a default number of opioid tablets that could easily be ordered at discharge for the patient - can shift prescribing and compel emergency department (ED) physicians to administer or prescribe greater quantities of opioids.

6 May 2021

Patient support program for painful conditions may also help avoid use of risky opioids

A program that provides ongoing support to patients with painful conditions and complex medication regimens may also help them avoid using potentially risky opioid pain medications, or reduce the amount they use, a new study finds.

6 May 2021

Novel CBD analog alleviates pain in mouse model of chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy

For patients with chronic pain, ineffective treatments, lowered work productivity, and other factors often coalesce, fueling feelings of hopelessness and anxiety and setting the stage for even bigger problems, including substance use disorders.

5 May 2021

FDA approves higher dose naloxone hydrochloride nasal spray product to combat opioid overdose

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced today the approval of a higher dose naloxone hydrochloride nasal spray product to treat opioid overdose. The newly approved product delivers 8 milligrams (mg) of naloxone into the nasal cavity. The FDA had previously approved 2 mg and 4 mg naloxone nasal spray products.

30 Apr 2021

Study finds higher risk of overdose in patients treated with opioids to reduce dental pain

When they go to the dentist to get a tooth pulled or another procedure, patients might not think that the prescription they receive to ease their pain could put them or their family at risk of an opioid overdose.

29 Apr 2021

Study: Pharmacies can be a significant access barrier to key medication for addiction

One in five pharmacies refuse to dispense a key medication to treat addiction, according to new research.

27 Apr 2021

Survey: CDC's opioid prescribing guideline for pain treatment should be revoked

The CDC's opioid prescribing guideline has failed to reduce addiction and overdoses, significantly worsened the quality of pain care in the United States and should be revoked, according to a large new survey of patients and healthcare providers by Pain News Network, an independent, non-profit news organization.

26 Apr 2021