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.

Modified lipids target the body’s endocannabinoid system to regulate pain and inflammation

When modified using a process known as epoxidation, two naturally occurring lipids are converted into potent agents that target multiple cannabinoid receptors in neurons, interrupting pathways that promote pain and inflammation, researchers report.

10 Feb 2021

Study finds increased substance use, mental health issues in people with obesity during the pandemic

The COVID-19 pandemic is having a detrimental impact on substance use, mental health, and weight-related health behaviors among people with obesity, according to a new study by researchers at UT Southwestern and the UTHealth School of Public Health.

8 Feb 2021

Experimental vaccine diminishes fatal respiratory effects of synthetic opioids

As the opioid epidemic raged on with an even greater force during COVID-19, the Scripps Research laboratory of chemist Kim Janda, PhD, has been working on new therapeutic interventions that may be able to prevent the bulk of deaths from opioid overdose.

4 Feb 2021

Study finds increased opioid consumption two years after intensive care

Nearly 11 percent of people admitted to an intensive care unit in Sweden between 2010 and 2018 received opioid prescriptions on a regular basis for at least six months and up to two years after discharge.

2 Feb 2021

New WHO guidelines provide recommendations for managing chronic pain in children

Chronic pain or pain that persists or recurs for longer than three months in children is a significant public health problem and a leading cause of morbidity in children globally.

1 Feb 2021

Enriched diet and companionship can reduce pain in mice with sickle cell disease

Researchers from the University of California, Irvine and the University of Minnesota have found that an enriched diet and companionship can reduce pain in mice with sickle cell disease by increasing serotonin.

1 Feb 2021

Pharmacogenetic tests can benefit four million UK patients annually

Four million UK patients could benefit annually from genetic testing before being prescribed common medicines, according to new research from the University of East Anglia (UEA) in collaboration with Boots UK and Leiden University (Netherlands).

29 Jan 2021

Active cannabis dispensaries linked to reduced opioid-related mortality rates

Counties with a greater number of cannabis dispensary storefronts experience reduced numbers of opioid-related deaths relative to other locales, a recent University of California, Davis, study has found.

29 Jan 2021

People who take opioid for chronic pain may find it hard to access new primary care clinics

People who take opioid medications for chronic pain may have a hard time finding a new primary care clinic that will take them on as a patient if they need one, according to a new "secret shopper" study of hundreds of clinics in states across the country.

28 Jan 2021

Study offers a new approach to control post-surgery pain

As surgeons balance the need to control their patients' post-surgery pain with the risk that a routine operation could become the gateway to long-term opioid use or addiction, a new study shows the power of an approach that takes a middle way.

28 Jan 2021

Drugged driving is outpacing drunk driving, shows study

A recent study of drugged driving, by a team of University of Cincinnati researchers, shows that a sizable percentage of individuals reported the use of marijuana and other illicit drugs while operating behind the wheel.

26 Jan 2021

SMART recovery groups provide addiction services during COVID-19 pandemic

The COVID-19 pandemic has created new perils and challenges for people experiencing substance use disorders and addictive behaviors. Social distancing and isolation can trigger loneliness, anxiety, and depression.

22 Jan 2021

New pain management regimen reduced opioid exposure in trauma patients

A pain management regimen comprised mostly of over-the-counter medication reduced opioid exposure in trauma patients while achieving equal levels of pain control, according to a new study by physician-researchers at The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (UTHealth).

22 Jan 2021

Multimodal pain regimen minimizes opioid exposure, relieves acute pain in trauma patients

A multimodal pain regimen (MMPR) designed to minimize opioid exposure and relieve acute pain associated with traumatic injury kept patient self-reported pain scores low while also reducing the daily and total amount of opioid drugs given to trauma patients.

21 Jan 2021

Opioids News and Research

Further Reading

Modified lipids target the body’s endocannabinoid system to regulate pain and inflammation

Study finds increased substance use, mental health issues in people with obesity during the pandemic

Experimental vaccine diminishes fatal respiratory effects of synthetic opioids

Study finds increased opioid consumption two years after intensive care

New WHO guidelines provide recommendations for managing chronic pain in children

Enriched diet and companionship can reduce pain in mice with sickle cell disease

Pharmacogenetic tests can benefit four million UK patients annually

Active cannabis dispensaries linked to reduced opioid-related mortality rates

People who take opioid for chronic pain may find it hard to access new primary care clinics

Study offers a new approach to control post-surgery pain

Drugged driving is outpacing drunk driving, shows study

SMART recovery groups provide addiction services during COVID-19 pandemic

New pain management regimen reduced opioid exposure in trauma patients

Multimodal pain regimen minimizes opioid exposure, relieves acute pain in trauma patients

Analysis reveals rapid surge in methamphetamine overdose deaths in the United States

Are public health ads worth the price? Not if they’re all about fear

Researchers assess medical practice patterns of primary care physicians

Polymer patch provides controlled release of drugs for post-operative pain management

KHN’s ‘What the Health?’: Georgia turns the Senate blue

San Francisco wrestles with drug approach as death and chaos engulf Tenderloin

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