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Newer GLP-1 medications may reduce alcohol-related hospitalization risk

Use of newer GLP-1 receptor agonists (semaglutide or tirzepatide) for obesity or diabetes by people with alcohol-use disorder was associated with a reduction in alcohol-related admissions to hospital, finds a study published online in the open access journal BMJ Open.

21 Jul 2026

Study links GLP-1 treatment to fewer alcohol drinking days

Current GLP-1 receptor agonist prescriptions were associated with modestly lower AUDIT-C scores in a large, diverse US cohort. The difference appeared to reflect less frequent drinking rather than fewer drinks per occasion or fewer binge-drinking episodes.

13 Jul 2026

Updated ABCs framework gives clinicians a clearer path to prevent heart disease

A 2026 State-of-the-Art review updates the ABCs of cardiovascular disease prevention to help clinicians apply contemporary risk assessment, lifestyle, pharmacologic, and cardiometabolic strategies in routine care. The framework emphasizes PREVENT™ risk equations, Life’s Essential 8, CKM syndrome, obesity care, lipid lowering, blood pressure control, healthy aging, heart failure prevention, and atrial fibrillation management.

7 Jul 2026

Study links semaglutide and tirzepatide to fewer anxiety and depression diagnoses in obesity care

A US electronic health record study found that adults with obesity who started semaglutide or tirzepatide had lower recorded hazards of anxiety and depression than matched patients using naltrexone-bupropion. However, among adults without type 2 diabetes, tirzepatide was linked to higher recorded hazards of anxiety and insomnia than semaglutide, underscoring the need for cautious monitoring.

1 Jul 2026

GLP-1 drugs may help curb addiction by targeting reward pathways

GLP-1 receptor agonists, already used for Type 2 diabetes and obesity, show promise in reducing alcohol and drug-seeking behaviors through central reward and dopamine-related pathways. Most evidence remains preclinical, with limited early human data, so larger clinical trials are needed before these drugs can be recommended for addiction treatment.

21 May 2026

Semaglutide as a promising new treatment for alcohol use disorder

Research indicates semaglutide can significantly decrease alcohol consumption and cravings in individuals with comorbid obesity and alcohol use disorder.

4 May 2026

Study highlights gaps in opioid use disorder care during pregnancy

Opioid use disorder during pregnancy remains a critical yet under-addressed public health issue in the U.S., according to a new study at Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health.

23 Apr 2026

More surgical patients on opioid use disorder treatment demand updated pain care

As more Americans receive treatment for opioid use disorder, that progress is increasingly showing up in the operating room, creating an urgent need to modernize how pain is managed during and after major surgery, according to a study in the February 2026 issue of Anesthesiology, the peer-reviewed medical journal of the American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA).

13 Jan 2026

Brain immune cells drive persistent negative emotions after repeated binge drinking

New research has identified that neuroinflammation driven by microglia (immune cells in the brain) is a primary underlying driver of prolonged negative feelings caused by repeated, sustained binge drinking (binge exposure).

12 Jan 2026

Study: Extended MOUD treatment significantly increases survival probability

A new study of over 32,000 US Veterans has found that the longer people stay on medications for opioid use disorder (buprenorphine, methadone, or extended-release naltrexone), the greater the probability of short- and medium-term survival. This benefit continues to increase at least for four years of ongoing treatment, considerably longer than most patients currently stay in treatment.

8 Jan 2026

Altered stress signaling helps explain relapse in alcohol use disorder

A new study by Scripps Research reveals that alcohol dependence disrupts two signaling pathways in a stress-related part of the brain-and offers insights on developing drugs to treat this condition.

22 Dec 2025

Most Medicaid patients do not receive life-saving drugs for opioid use disorder

A US study of more than a million Medicaid enrollees, newly diagnosed with opioid use disorder (OUD), finds most – nearly seven in 10 – are not receiving access to potentially life-saving drugs within six months.

24 Nov 2025

New study highlights the impact of pediatric integrative medicine services

A new study conducted by University Hospitals Connor Whole Health highlights the impact of pediatric integrative medicine services.

5 Nov 2025

States make progress in removing barriers to opioid use disorder medications

A new study from Tulane University found that, over the past decade, more states have moved to make it easier for people with opioid use disorder to get potentially life-saving medication.

3 Nov 2025

Study highlights need to establish clinical practice guidelines for surgical patients receiving MOUDs

In an effort to stem the death toll from opioid overdose, United States public health officials have promoted the prescription and use of medications like buprenorphine that blunt the effects of illicit opioids such as fentanyl.

27 Oct 2025

GLP-1 drugs like Ozempic may slow how quickly alcohol hits the bloodstream

Preliminary study shows GLP-1 receptor agonists alter alcohol response, suggesting potential for reducing cravings and intoxication in obese individuals.

17 Oct 2025

GLP-1 medications found to slow alcohol absorption and lessen intoxication

There's mounting evidence that popular drugs prescribed for diabetes management and weight loss - better known by trade names like Ozempic and Wegovy - could be effective in reducing alcohol use.

15 Oct 2025

Buprenorphine treatment produces greatest health gains and cost savings for mothers and infants

Over the last 20 years, substance use-related deaths have more than doubled for women of reproductive age. Overdose deaths are now a leading cause of maternal mortality in the U.S., and in some states, the leading cause.

11 Sep 2025

Treating opioid use disorder during incarceration improves post-release outcomes

A study supported by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) finds that individuals who received medication for opioid use disorder (MOUD) while incarcerated were significantly more likely to continue treatment six months after release than those who did not receive MOUD.