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.

Study points out key variations in hospice transitions and experiences

Terminally ill patients referred to hospice care from a hospital setting tend to be on hospice for shorter periods than those who enter hospice while living at home or in a residential care facility.

19 Oct 2020

Epidural analgesia during childbirth does not increase infant's risk of developing autism

The Society for Obstetric Anesthesia and Perinatology,the American Society of Anesthesiologists, the Society for Pediatric Anesthesia the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists and the Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine aim to clearly reassure pregnant women that the article "Association Between Epidural Analgesia During Labor and Risk of Autism Spectrum Disorders in Offspring," a new retrospective database study published in JAMA Pediatrics on October 12th, 2020 does not provide credible scientific evidence that labor epidurals for pain relief cause autism.

13 Oct 2020

Study examines the pharmacogenomics of opioid addiction

In one of the first studies of its kind, a University of Cincinnati researcher is using a grant from the Ohio attorney general's office to research the pharmacogenomics of opioid addiction.

13 Oct 2020

Study: Cannabis seldom serves as substitute for non-medical opioids

A study published in the scientific journal Addiction suggests that, contrary to what some are claiming, people in the US may not be substituting cannabis for opioids.

8 Oct 2020

Researcher receives NIH award to explore effect of women's hormones on postpartum opioid relapse

When most people think of opioid addiction, they typically do not think of pregnant women. Unfortunately, however, the prevalence of opioid addiction during pregnancy has increased nearly 500% during the past 15 years.

8 Oct 2020

Older adults use cannabis for medical purposes, study finds

With growing interest in its potential health benefits and new legislation favoring legalization in more states, cannabis use is becoming more common among older adults.

7 Oct 2020

Two Penn Medicine researchers selected for prestigious NIH Director's Awards

Picture a future where embedded medical devices not only treat and teach patients, but learn from them. Imagine chronic pain being managed without the negative side effects of opioids. Penn Medicine researchers are working to make those scenarios a reality.

6 Oct 2020

New guidelines reduce number of opioid pills prescribed to patients after surgery

To address the opioid epidemic, surgeons have embraced guidelines to reduce the number of opioid pills they prescribe to patients after surgery, and the efforts have helped to significantly reduce the number of opioids in circulation.

5 Oct 2020

Cannabinoids can contribute to negative respiratory health events in older adults with COPD

Cannabinoids, a class of prescription pills that contain synthetically-made chemicals found in marijuana, are associated with a 64 per cent increase in death among older adults with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), according to the first published data on the impact of cannabinoids on the respiratory health of individuals with the lung disease.

30 Sep 2020

Health on wheels: Tricked-out RVs deliver addiction treatment to rural communities

Tonja Jimenez is far from the only person driving an RV down Colorado's rural highways. But unlike the other rigs, her 34-foot-long motor home is equipped as an addiction treatment clinic on wheels, bringing lifesaving treatment to the northeastern corner of the state, where patients with substance use disorders are often left to fend for themselves.

28 Sep 2020

New book sheds light on addiction to psychoactive drugs

Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press (CSHLP) announced the publication of Addiction, 2e, now available on its website in ebook and hardcover formats.

23 Sep 2020

Middle-aged people report more pain than older Americans, study finds

A new study finds middle-aged Americans are now reporting more pain than the elderly -- and it has to do with their level of education and that pain is rising more quickly in younger people.

22 Sep 2020

Type 1 diabetes is associated with increased risk of falls

New research presented at this year's annual meeting of the European Association for the Study of Diabetes (EASD), held online this year (21-25 September), shows that having type 1 diabetes (T1D) is associated with a 33% increase in the risk of falls compared with the general population, while having type 2 diabetes (T2D) is associated with a 19% increased risk of falls.

21 Sep 2020

UM receives $33.4 million for development and clinical trials of opioid vaccines

The National Institutes of Health has awarded the University of Montana a five-year, $33.4 million award for the development and clinical trials of opioid vaccines. It is the largest such award in University history.

19 Sep 2020

Researchers design transdisciplinary course to prepare future clinicians in opioid crisis

Opioid use disorder and overdose have reached unprecedented levels around the world. In the United States, remediation of pain is one of the most common reasons American adults seek healthcare.

18 Sep 2020

Study: Significant proportion of older dental patients inappropriately prescribed opioids

A new study by researchers at the University of Illinois Chicago and the University of Pittsburgh suggests that a significant proportion of older patients receiving opioids at dental visits also use psychotropic medications -- a potentially harmful combination.

16 Sep 2020

Opioids News and Research

Further Reading

Study points out key variations in hospice transitions and experiences

Epidural analgesia during childbirth does not increase infant's risk of developing autism

Study examines the pharmacogenomics of opioid addiction

Study: Cannabis seldom serves as substitute for non-medical opioids

Researcher receives NIH award to explore effect of women's hormones on postpartum opioid relapse

Older adults use cannabis for medical purposes, study finds

Two Penn Medicine researchers selected for prestigious NIH Director's Awards

New guidelines reduce number of opioid pills prescribed to patients after surgery

Cannabinoids can contribute to negative respiratory health events in older adults with COPD

Health on wheels: Tricked-out RVs deliver addiction treatment to rural communities

New book sheds light on addiction to psychoactive drugs

Middle-aged people report more pain than older Americans, study finds

Type 1 diabetes is associated with increased risk of falls

UM receives $33.4 million for development and clinical trials of opioid vaccines

Researchers design transdisciplinary course to prepare future clinicians in opioid crisis

Study: Significant proportion of older dental patients inappropriately prescribed opioids

Regular cannabis use does not appear to increase pain sensitivity, study suggests

FDA issues warning letters to website operators for illegally selling opioids online

Nasal sprays are a known remedy for preventing opioid overdose deaths

The Hastings Center Report: Bioethics challenge of opioid crisis

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

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