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.

Research examines trend in hospitalizations from opioid poisonings

Preliminary research presented today at APHA's 2017 Annual Meeting and Expo examined the trend in hospitalizations from opioid poisonings in West Virginia, a state heavily impacted by the current opioid overdose crisis.

7 Nov 2017

Many patients with knee, hip and spine osteoarthritis use opioids to manage chronic pain

A large percentage of patients with end-stage knee, hip and spine osteoarthritis use opioids to manage their chronic pain, especially those who are younger or have symptoms of depression, according to new research findings presented this week at the 2017 ACR/ARHP Annual Meeting in San Diego.

6 Nov 2017

$Opioid and antidepressant use related to increased risk of osteoporotic fractures for RA patients$

Opioid and antidepressant use related to increased risk of osteoporotic fractures for RA patients

Opioids and selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, a widely used group of antidepressants, are both associated with higher risk of osteoporotic fractures for patients with rheumatoid arthritis, according to new research findings presented this week at the 2017 ACR/ARHP Annual Meeting in San Diego.

6 Nov 2017

Researchers develop new drug screening method for rapid, accurate identification of fentanyl

Researchers at McMaster University have developed a new drug screening technique that could lead to the rapid and accurate identification of fentanyl, as well as a vast number of other drugs of abuse, which up until now have been difficult to detect by traditional urine tests.

3 Nov 2017

CRFA better than steroid injection for managing pain from knee osteoarthritis

For patients with osteoarthritis of the knee, a minimally invasive procedure called cooled radiofrequency ablation provides better pain reduction and functional improvement compared to steroid injection of the knee, concludes a study in Regional Anesthesia & Pain Medicine, published by Wolters Kluwer.

2 Nov 2017

What the Health? How confused are we?

Open enrollment started with more of a whimper than a bang Nov. 1, as the Trump administration continued to talk down the health law it is required to operate.

2 Nov 2017

Study: More than 10% of cancer patients continue to take opioids after surgery

More than two million people in the United States are dependent on prescription opioid pain relievers, a number that continues to grow as the rate of opioid prescriptions has skyrocketed in the last 25 years.

1 Nov 2017

Sanford Health to evaluate effectiveness of non-opioid medications

Sanford Health is one of three sites in the U.S. to launch a study to determine if non-opioid medications are as effective in managing pain after carpal-tunnel surgery.

30 Oct 2017

Ameritox applauds President Trump’s declaration of opioid crisis as national public health emergency

Ameritox, a national leader in medication monitoring solutions for patients prescribed opioids and other medications for chronic pain and severe mental illness, today applauded the declaration of the opioid crisis as a national public health emergency by President Donald J. Trump.

30 Oct 2017

Experts issue new report with recommendations aimed at stemming opioid epidemic

A group of experts, led by researchers at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health in collaboration with the Clinton Foundation, today issued a new report with comprehensive recommendations aimed at stemming the opioid epidemic, a spiraling crisis that kills on average 90 people a day in the U.S., and shows few signs of reversing.

28 Oct 2017

Multiple methods found to minimize pain caused by surgery and reduce use of opioids

Studies suggest that using more than one type of pain medicine to target different pain pathways has been shown to decrease pain while reducing side effects of knee replacement surgery.

28 Oct 2017

ASA applauds President Trump’s declaration of opioid crisis as public health emergency

The American Society of Anesthesiologists today announced its support of President Donald J. Trump's announcement officially declaring the opioid crisis a public health emergency.

28 Oct 2017

New study investigates extent of opioid dependence and overdose in postoperative patients

Drug overdose was the leading cause of accidental death in the U.S. in 2015. Although pain management after surgery continues to rely on opioids, there are concerns that ubiquitous use of opioids has led to a growing epidemic of addiction, dependence, and overdose (ODO).

27 Oct 2017

Researchers use machine learning to identify illegal selling of opioids on Twitter

Using advanced machine learning, a cross disciplinary team of University of California San Diego researchers developed technology that mined Twitter to identify entities illegally selling prescription opioids online.

25 Oct 2017

Pre-clinical study reports promising step forward in search for non-addictive painkillers

A pre-clinical study led by Indiana University scientists reports a promising step forward in the search for pain relief methods without the addictive side effects behind the country's current opioid addiction crisis.

25 Oct 2017

New survey finds huge decline in substance abuse, delinquency among teens

More than a decade of data indicates teens have become far less likely to abuse alcohol, nicotine and illicit drugs, and they also are less likely to engage in delinquent behaviors, such as fighting and stealing, according to results of a national survey analyzed by researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis.

25 Oct 2017

Bariatric surgical patients may be vulnerable to opioid dependence

Nearly 9 percent of bariatric surgical patients--or about one in 12--who did not take opioid pain medications until their weight-loss operation, or the month before it, report that they are still using prescription opioids one year postoperatively, according to new research findings.

24 Oct 2017

Opioid-free anesthesia reduces postoperative nausea, study finds

Opioid-free general anesthesia is safe, effective and dramatically decreases postoperative nausea, according to a single-center study of more than 1,000 patients being presented at the ANESTHESIOLOGY 2017 annual meeting.

24 Oct 2017

Research finds decrease in opioid use among patients recovering from hip and knee replacement

Opioid use in patients recovering from hip and knee replacement decreased by one-third between 2006 and 2014, reflecting success in efforts to promote a multimodal approach to pain management (using a variety of methods to manage pain) rather than using opioids alone, reveals new research being presented at the ANESTHESIOLOGY 2017 annual meeting.

23 Oct 2017

HCV screening or diagnosis could lower non‐prescribed opioid use

Research presented this week at The Liver Meeting – held by the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases – shows people in treatment for opioid substance abuse significantly lowered their non‐prescribed opioid use after testing positive for hepatitis C virus.

20 Oct 2017

Opioids News and Research

Further Reading

Research examines trend in hospitalizations from opioid poisonings

Many patients with knee, hip and spine osteoarthritis use opioids to manage chronic pain

Opioid and antidepressant use related to increased risk of osteoporotic fractures for RA patients

Researchers develop new drug screening method for rapid, accurate identification of fentanyl

CRFA better than steroid injection for managing pain from knee osteoarthritis

What the Health? How confused are we?

Study: More than 10% of cancer patients continue to take opioids after surgery

Sanford Health to evaluate effectiveness of non-opioid medications

Ameritox applauds President Trump’s declaration of opioid crisis as national public health emergency

Experts issue new report with recommendations aimed at stemming opioid epidemic

Multiple methods found to minimize pain caused by surgery and reduce use of opioids

ASA applauds President Trump’s declaration of opioid crisis as public health emergency

New study investigates extent of opioid dependence and overdose in postoperative patients

Researchers use machine learning to identify illegal selling of opioids on Twitter

Pre-clinical study reports promising step forward in search for non-addictive painkillers

New survey finds huge decline in substance abuse, delinquency among teens

Bariatric surgical patients may be vulnerable to opioid dependence

Opioid-free anesthesia reduces postoperative nausea, study finds

Research finds decrease in opioid use among patients recovering from hip and knee replacement

HCV screening or diagnosis could lower non‐prescribed opioid use

Achieving and maintaining ISO/IEC 27001 and BS 10012 certifications

Expanding research and clinical options for children with cancer

Examining how pain could play a direct protective role in the gut

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