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.

Racial and ethnic differences found in pain management of minority adolescents

Pain is one of the most common reasons for seeking emergency department care, yet is often poorly assessed and treated.

20 Apr 2020

Study: Workplace strategies can promote employment for drug addicts

After a yearlong study of people with opioid dependence, Johns Hopkins Medicine researchers report evidence that adding $8 an hour to their paychecks may help those in recovery stay drug free longer, as well as encourage them to get and hold regular jobs.

20 Apr 2020

Research Suggests Widespread Opioid Overprescribing has Lead to Opioid Epidemic

Research indicates that widespread opioid overprescribing contributed to the opioid epidemic.

15 Apr 2020

Tarantula venom could be used as a potent pain reliever

Pain relief has come a long way, with many medicines developed to ease pain and promote comfort. Previous research has shown that venom can be a potent pain reliever. Snake venom has been widely studied as a potential source of pain relievers, especially for chronic and debilitating pain. Now, a team of scientists has found that spider venom, particularly from Tarantulas, could be used as a potent pain reliever for various conditions.

14 Apr 2020

Many of Washington State’s illicit drug users want to reduce use

A new survey of people who inject illicit drugs in the state of Washington yields positive and important findings for policy makers as the world struggles to deal with the COVID-19 pandemic, said authors of the survey by the University of Washington and Public Health-Seattle & King County.

11 Apr 2020

Benefits of marijuana for pain relief are not clear-cut, study suggests

Medical marijuana users who say they have high levels of pain are more likely than those with low pain to say they use cannabis three or more times a day, a new study finds.

8 Apr 2020

Studies shed light on the link between obesity and use of prescription opioids

Two new studies from the Boston University School of Public Health shed light on the relationship between obesity and the use of prescription opioids in the United States.

2 Apr 2020

Standardized screening for early identification of delirium improves quality of care

A concerted effort to standardize delirium assessment and treatment helped a west Texas hospital reduce the use of high-risk medications and improve the quality of care for critically ill patients, according to a study published in Critical Care Nurse.

2 Apr 2020

What are the challenges facing palliative care during COVID-19?

The current COVID-19 outbreak affecting 180 countries and territories across six continents is taking its toll on healthcare systems globally. In particular, there is growing pressure on and concern for triage and palliative care departments. Now, researchers from the University of Toronto, Université Laval, Québec, and the University of Ottawa have published a new study titled, “Pandemic palliative care: beyond ventilators and saving lives,” in the latest issue of the journal Canadian Medical Association Journal that looks to address the challenges in providing palliative care during a viral pandemic.

1 Apr 2020

California’s new attack on opioid addiction hits old roadblocks

Jennifer Stilwell, a 30-year-old mother of two young children, kicked heroin cold turkey five years ago, but she got hooked again last fall.

1 Apr 2020

Study provides insights into pain signaling mechanism in the brain

Fast communication between our brain cells - or neurotransmission as it is called - is hugely important for our brain to work properly. Some of the messengers involved in this form of communication are neuropeptides, which are chemicals produced in the brain.

31 Mar 2020

Addiction is ‘a disease of isolation’ — so pandemic puts recovery at risk

Before the coronavirus became a pandemic, Emma went to an Alcoholics Anonymous meeting every week in the Boston area and to another support group at her methadone clinic. She said she felt safe, secure and never judged.

30 Mar 2020

New molecular probes to study the behavior of opioid receptors

It could be an important step forward in the improvement of pain therapy: Thanks to newly developed molecular probes, the behavior of individual opioid receptors can now be studied in detail.

25 Mar 2020

UC researchers identify populations most at risk of overdosing on opiates

Researchers at the University of Cincinnati are helping to identify those most at risk in Ohio of overdosing on opiates.

19 Mar 2020

UCLA researcher awarded NIH grant to study pain-relieving effects of cannabis chemicals

Ziva Cooper, research director of the UCLA Cannabis Research Initiative, has been awarded a $3.9 million grant from the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health at the NIH to study whether cannabis chemicals called terpenes can reduce the amount of opioid medication a person needs to reduce pain.

18 Mar 2020