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Study unravels mysteries behind cause of acute liver failure

Twenty years ago, the federal government funded the study of a condition quietly killing hundreds of Americans a year - acute liver failure, or ALF. Growing evidence had linked ALF to overdoses of acetaminophen, the popular over-the-counter pain medication many viewed as harmless at the time.

29 Mar 2017

Antidepressants and anti-seizure drugs can effectively treat diabetic nerve pain, research finds

A federal health agency has found certain antidepressants and anti-seizure drugs are among medications that effectively treat diabetic nerve pain.

25 Mar 2017

Genotype-guided warfarin dosing linked to reduced risk of adverse events

Using genetic testing to help personalize doses of warfarin therapy given to patients undergoing elective orthopedic surgery appears to lower the risk of combined adverse events compared with clinically guided dosing, according to research presented at the American College of Cardiology's 66th Annual Scientific Session.

21 Mar 2017

Study: Group practice of Transcendental Meditation reduces drug-related fatalities in general population

The rate of US drug-related fatalities fell 30.4% nationwide from 2007 to 2010 due to the reductions in societal stress and increased alertness in the individuals in society created by a large group practicing the Transcendental Meditation technique and its advanced program, the TM-Sidhi program, a new study shows.

14 Mar 2017

Heroin use linked to epigenetic alterations in the brain

The past few years have seen an explosion of heroin abuse and deaths from opiate overdose. But little is known about the molecular underpinnings of heroin addiction.

14 Mar 2017

Physicians and patients often differ over priorities of pain treatment, research shows

Disagreements between doctors and patients over the priorities of pain treatment are common during primary care office visits, new research from UC Davis Health shows.

13 Mar 2017

CRNAs urge patients to learn about risks, benefits of pain relief treatments

The opioid crisis is one of the largest challenges facing today's healthcare professionals and the patients for whom they care.

8 Mar 2017

Compound from snail's venom may offer alternative to opioids for pain relief

A tiny snail may offer an alternative to opioids for pain relief. Scientists at the University of Utah have found a compound that blocks pain by targeting a pathway not associated with opioids.

21 Feb 2017

Study shines light on pervasiveness of unsafely stored opioids in homes with children

Nearly 70 percent of prescription opioid medications kept in homes with children are not stored safely, a new study by researchers at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health finds.

20 Feb 2017

New article highlights prevalence of nonmedical prescription drug use among young people

Balancing a country's need to make prescription drugs available to those in need while simultaneously curbing nonmedical use is one of our greatest challenges, according to a perspective article just published by Silvia Martins, MD, PhD, associate professor of Epidemiology at Columbia University's Mailman School of Public Health and a colleague at American University of Beirut.

6 Feb 2017

Researchers uncover new pathway in the body that stimulates liver repair

A team of Michigan State University researchers, led by James Luyendyk in the College of Veterinary Medicine, has uncovered a new pathway in the body that stimulates liver repair.

19 Jan 2017

Gulf Breeze Recovery underscores importance of high-quality programs for treating opioid addiction

As opioid addiction hits record highs, Gulf Breeze Recovery, a Florida-based addiction recovery center, stresses the importance of high-quality, successful programs for treating addiction.

26 Dec 2016

Opioid users treated in compulsory drug detention centre more likely to relapse, study shows

People with chronic opioid use disorders are more likely to relapse and do so sooner if they are treated in a compulsory drug detention centre rather than a voluntary drug treatment centre using methadone maintenance therapy, according to the first study comparing the outcome of both approaches published in The Lancet Global Health.

9 Dec 2016

Study reveals self-harm is leading cause of pregnancy-related deaths in Colorado

Self-harm was the leading cause of pregnancy-associated deaths in Colorado from 2004 to 2014, ahead of car crashes, medical conditions and homicide, according to researchers at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus.

9 Dec 2016

PinnacleHealth’s initiative helps reduce opioid prescriptions in primary care setting

PinnacleHealth Medical Group, a network of more than 200 primary care providers and specialists, singled out opioid abuse epidemic and initiated a formal opioid reduction program in 2014.

8 Dec 2016

Researchers developing opioid vaccines to help prevent overdose fatalities

In 2014, the number of deaths from opioid overdoses in the U.S. jumped to its highest level on record. The spike brought national attention to the epidemic and the awareness that new interventions are needed.

7 Dec 2016

TSRI scientists discover potential drug candidate to suppress pain and itch

In a new study, scientists from the Florida campus of The Scripps Research Institute have identified a possible drug candidate that suppresses pain and itch in animal models.

1 Dec 2016

Researchers develop virtual liver model to better understand metabolism of non-prescription painkiller

Researchers at Indiana University's Biocomplexity Institute have developed a virtual model of the human liver to better understand how the organ metabolizes acetaminophen, a common non-prescription painkiller and fever-reducer used in over-the-counter drugs such as Tylenol.

29 Nov 2016

UAB physician calls for better education, legislation to help patients with opioid abuse

The U.S. opioid epidemic has evolved so much in the last four years that current federal policy responses risk diminishing returns in saving human lives, according to a new peer-reviewed perspective by University of Alabama at Birmingham Associate Professor of Preventive medicine Stefan Kertesz, M.D. His perspective was published online in the addiction journal Substance Abuse.

24 Nov 2016

New vaccine shows potential to decrease risk of fatal opioid overdose

Scientists at The Scripps Research Institute have developed a vaccine that blocks the pain-numbing effects of the opioid drugs oxycodone and hydrocodone in animal models.

23 Nov 2016