Opioid Dependence News and Research

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Virtual reality vs. opioids: clinical trial of non-pharmacological pain management during burn wound care

Researchers assessed the feasibility and efficacy of virtual reality as a non-pharmaceutical intervention for managing procedural pain in adult burn patients during dressing changes compared to standard opioid-based approaches.

28 Sep 2023

Experimental insomnia treatment may help prevent opioid relapse

A good night's sleep has many proven health benefits, and a new Scripps Research study suggests one more: preventing opioid relapse.

6 Sep 2023

Enhanced recovery program shows promise in reducing opioid reliance after pancreatic cancer surgery

By improving hospital care pathways, researchers from The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center successfully reduced inpatient opioid use by 50% after pancreatic cancer surgery and cut the median opioid prescription volumes at discharge to zero.

6 Sep 2023

New insight from patients on what helps or hinders medication-assisted opioid use disorder treatment

Patients would be more willing to enter medication-assisted treatment for opioid use disorder if existing stigmas were reduced and more accessible payment support was readily available, a West Virginia University study finds.

6 Jun 2023

Long-term opioid use more common among patients with rheumatic and musculoskeletal conditions

Patients with rheumatic and musculoskeletal conditions are vulnerable to long term opioid use, with up to 1 in 3 of those with rheumatoid arthritis or fibromyalgia, who take these drugs for the first time, potentially at risk, suggest the findings of a research letter, published online in the Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases.

18 May 2023

KHN’s ‘What the Health?’: A health-heavy State of the Union

Russia's attacks on Ukraine took the headlines for President Joe Biden's first official State of the Union address, but Biden made a point to highlight several of the administration's high-priority health issues, including covid, mental health, nursing home regulation, and ailments among military personnel from toxic burn pits.

3 Mar 2022

Persistent opioid use among 12% of patients after cardiac implantable electronic device procedures

About 12 percent of patients who receive implantable cardiac devices such as a pacemaker or defibrillator and fill an opioid prescription after surgery will consistently use the pain medication in the months afterward, raising the potential for addiction following these common procedures and identifying another pathway that could contribute to the national opioid crisis, according to a new study by researchers at the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania.

26 Nov 2021

Legal consumption of alcohol and tobacco may increase the use of illicit drugs

The use of legal drugs (tobacco and alcohol) may lead to the use of cannabis, a new study led by the University of Bristol and published in the journal Addiction has found. The study also found evidence that cannabis use may lead to smoking initiation, and opioid dependence could lead to increased alcohol consumption.

30 Sep 2021

Enhanced recovery after surgery program helps reduce opioid prescriptions after lung surgery

Lung surgery patients who utilize a comprehensive, evidence-based enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) program require fewer opioid prescriptions when discharged and this effect was sustained over the 4-year study period, according to research presented today at the 18th Annual Perioperative and Critical Care Conference from The Society of Thoracic Surgeons.

10 Sep 2021

Opioid Agonist Therapy can reduce mortality risk in people with opioid dependence

A new global review has found that receiving Opioid Agonist Therapy (OAT) is associated with lower risk of multiple causes of death among people with opioid dependence.

3 Jun 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: 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

Extensive use of opioid agonists can considerably reduce drug-related deaths

New evidence that opioid agonists such as methadone and buprenorphine could substantially reduce drug-related deaths if more widely used in the community and prison, and for longer, has been published in Lancet Psychiatry.

25 Feb 2021

Opioid supply-controlling policies may have unintended consequences, finds study

In response to the increase in opioid overdose deaths in the United States, many states have implemented supply-controlling and harm-reduction policy measures aimed at reducing those deaths.

17 Feb 2021

Long-term opioid use cannot treat chronic pain, has serious health consequences

A broken heart is often harder to heal than a broken leg. Now researchers say that a broken heart can contribute to lasting chronic pain.

22 Dec 2020

Scientists receive $3.9 million to optimize treatment for opioid use disorder

Drawing upon their experience and expertise in telehealth, collaborative care models, substance use disorders, depression and health information technology, Indiana University School of Medicine and Regenstrief Institute faculty have been awarded $3.9 million over four years to collaborate with Kaiser Permanente Washington Health Research Institute scientists on a trial to optimize treatment for opioid use disorder.

28 Oct 2020

WHO survey: COVID-19 halted mental health services in 93% of countries

The COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted or halted critical mental health services in 93% of countries worldwide while the demand for mental health is increasing, according to a new WHO survey.

5 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

Opioid use in women trying to conceive linked with lower chance of pregnancy

Opioid use among women trying to conceive may be associated with a lower chance of pregnancy, suggests a National Institutes of Health study. Moreover, opioid use in early pregnancy may be associated with a greater chance of pregnancy loss.

18 Aug 2020

Behavior therapy that exposes people to traumatic memories does not trigger drug relapse

About a quarter of people with drug or alcohol use disorders also suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), which is typically caused by a traumatic or stressful life event such as rape or combat, and which leaves the person with intense anxiety.

20 Jul 2020