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.

Antidepressant improves drug delivery across the blood-brain barrier, rat study shows

NIH rat study suggests amitriptyline temporarily inhibits the blood-brain barrier, allowing drugs to enter the brain.

27 Apr 2017

Cordant's drug take-back program helps patients to safely dispose unwanted prescription medications

Medication theft from the home is a leading cause of prescription drug overdose deaths, but nearly 70 percent of prescription opioid medications kept in homes with children are not stored safely, according to the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.

26 Apr 2017

Placebo can help reduce intensity of emotional pain from romantic rejection, study finds

Feeling heartbroken from a recent breakup? Just believing you're doing something to help yourself get over your ex can influence brain regions associated with emotional regulation and lessen the perception of pain.

25 Apr 2017

Intraoperative methadone offers promise to reduce need for pain medications during recovery

Patients undergoing spinal fusion surgery who are treated with methadone during the procedure require significantly less intravenous and oral opioids to manage postoperative pain, reports a new study published in the May issue of Anesthesiology, the peer-reviewed medical journal of the American Society of Anesthesiologists.

24 Apr 2017

How physicians can prevent opioid abuse while providing adequate pain relief

Rather than being considered a miracle pill that magically takes away pain, prescription opioids are increasingly being seen as a precursor to heroin addiction and the cause of potentially deadly overdoses themselves.

19 Apr 2017

Medication-assisted treatment reduces negative health outcomes for pregnant women with OUD

Medication for addiction treatment (MAT) with buprenorphine or methadone is an appropriate and accepted treatment for pregnant women with opioid use disorder (OUD), according to a research review and update in the Journal of Addiction Medicine, the official journal of the American Society of Addiction Medicine (ASAM). The journal is published by Wolters Kluwer.

17 Apr 2017

Study finds depression and SUD to be strongest risk factors for prescription opioid overdose

Individuals suffering from a substance use disorder (SUD) or depression are among those at highest risk for a serious prescription opioid overdose, according to a study published in Pain Medicine.

13 Apr 2017

Point/Counterpoint: Experts debate how to control exploding opioid epidemic

Two experts with opposing views squared off on the hotly debated topic of how best to control the exploding opioid epidemic in the U.S.- with increasing regulation of physician prescribing practices or by better educating patients and doctors.

12 Apr 2017

Researchers design first light-activated drug for treatment of pain

A team of the Institute of Neurosciences of the University of Barcelona has participated in the design of the first light-activated drug -the JF-NP-26, for the treatment of pain, according to a research with animal models published in the journal eLife.

11 Apr 2017

JAPhA articles highlight role of pharmacists in controlling opioid crisis

Pharmacists often face serious challenges when trying to balance the needs of patients with chronic pain and preventing prescription drug misuse, abuse, and overdose.

7 Apr 2017

Six important things to know about opioid crisis

While opioid drugs play an important role in pain management, an alarming increase in opioid diversion, opioid use disorder, and opioid-related mortality and morbidity in recent years has created a healthcare crisis in the United States.

5 Apr 2017

Study shows promising results for real-world massage in treating chronic low back pain

In the first study of its kind, researchers found real-world massage therapy to be an effective treatment for chronic low back pain.

3 Apr 2017

Digitising health records could have positive impact on diagnosis and treatment of illnesses

Digitising health records to include key patient and treatment information could help identify patterns of illness, effectiveness of treatments and how these patients' gender and ethnicity influence this.

3 Apr 2017

American Pain Society urges Congress to resist NIH budget cuts

The American Pain Society, www.americanpainsociety.org, today condemned the Trump Administration's proposed 19 percent cut in funding for the National Institutes of Health and warned that such a draconian budget reduction would devastate biomedical research in the United States unless Congress acted to prevent it.

31 Mar 2017

Cannabis use may impact treatment in women undergoing addiction therapy, study suggests

A new study suggests that the use of cannabis may impact treatment in women undergoing methadone treatment therapy.

30 Mar 2017

Research findings offer potential explanation for opioid-induced itching

Opioids have long been an important tool in the world of pain management, but the side effects of these drugs - from addiction and respiratory failure to severe itching and dizziness, can be overwhelming.

27 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

Medications that increase effect of natural brain opioids may be better way to reduce anxiety

Published in Nature Communications by University of Sydney scholars, the findings suggest medications that boost the effect of natural brain opioids might be a better way to reduce anxiety than 'receptor-binding' opioid drugs like morphine, which have major side effects.

23 Mar 2017

ACA adopts clinical practice guidelines for treatment of low back pain

The American Chiropractic Association, during its annual House of Delegates meeting March 17, approved a resolution to adopt clinical practice guidelines for the treatment of low back pain from the American College of Physicians and the Council on Chiropractic Guidelines and Practice Parameters (CCGPP).

22 Mar 2017

New recommendations aim to guide doctors and patients about testing, treatment options

Surgical options for people with medical conditions including obesity, and the risks of operating on the elderly, feature among 10 new recommendations released today under the Choosing Wisely Australia initiative.