Feature Channels: Drugs and Drug Abuse

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From 2000 to 2015, more than a half million people died from drug overdoses. Many of these individuals tried to recover from their addiction by seeking treatment at specialty addiction programs.

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Credentialed press representatives are invited to attend The Society of Thoracic Surgeons 54th Annual Meeting and Exhibition, which will include late-breaking scientific research, thought-provoking lectures, cutting-edge technologies, and innovative cardiothoracic surgery products.

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A first-of-its-kind study published in the Pain Management issue of AACC’s The Journal of Applied Laboratory Medicine shows that a new drug testing approach dramatically improves detection of illicit benzodiazepine use. This could help to curb abuse of these drugs, which are second only to opioids as a cause of prescription drug overdose deaths in the U.S.

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A special issue of AACC’s The Journal of Applied Laboratory Medicine, “Laboratory Support of Pain Management,” features groundbreaking new drug tests that could reverse the staggering climb of prescription drug overdoses in the U.S.

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While moderate drinking – up to one drink per day for women, two for men – can be part of a healthy lifestyle, excessive and chronic drinking can contribute to injury and disease. Each year, U.S. patients utilize emergency department (ED) services more than 130 million times, averaging nearly four visits per every 10 people. Alcohol-related injury and disease are commonly the cause of these visits. This study examined trends in ED visits that involved heavy and chronic drinking by age and gender between 2006 to 2014.

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For non-elderly Americans on disability, local prescribing of opioid pain medications is significantly related to county-level economic factors like unemployment and income level, reports a study in the January issue of Medical Care, published by Wolters Kluwer.

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In many western countries, public concern about violence and other problems at sporting events has increased. Alcohol is often involved. Research shows that approximately 40 percent of the spectators drink alcohol while attending U.S. baseball and football games, especially when alcohol is served within the arenas themselves. Alcohol-related problems can be compounded at large sport stadiums that hold tens of thousands of spectators. This study examined occurrences of overserving at licensed premises both inside and outside the arenas, and allowing entry of obviously intoxicated spectators into the arenas.

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From 2005 to 2015 the number of infants diagnosed with neonatal abstinence syndrome (NAS) in the Granite State increased fivefold, from 52 to 269, according to new research by the Carsey School of Public Policy at the University of New Hampshire.

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Research by Shima Baughman, a professor at the University of Utah S.J. Quinney College of Law, provides a concrete plan for safely reducing jail numbers as the nation continues to grapple with overcrowded jails.

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Increased scrutiny of opioid prescribing for patients with chronic pain has led providers and healthcare organizations to consider opioid-dose reductions, known as tapering. Such actions can precipitate communication challenges for primary-care physicians. A new study, published in The Journal of Pain, examined patient-doctor conversations and explored best practices associated with opioid tapering. The Journal of Pain is the peer-review publication of the American Pain Society, www.americanpainsociety.org.

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RTI International has named renowned expert in behavioral health economics, Gary Zarkin, Ph.D., an RTI Distinguished Fellow. The appointment of Distinguished Fellow, the highest level in RTI's Fellow Program, honors exceptionally talented individuals whose internationally recognized scientific accomplishments have made a significant impact on society.

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What if you could look into the brains of potential drug abusers and see what messages would be most likely to persuade them to “just say no?” That’s the ultimate goal of researchers whose new study scanned the brains of people while they watched anti-drug public service announcements (PSAs).

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Some surgeons might be able to prescribe a third of opioid painkiller pills that they currently give patients, and not affect their level of post-surgery pain control, a new study suggests. That would mean far fewer opioids left over to feed the ongoing national crisis of misuse, addiction and overdose.

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A new study by researchers at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health found that under 5 percent of those referred for opioid treatment from the criminal justice system were directed to medication-assisted programs to treat their disorder.

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New study finds that death rates for those hospitalized for opioid-related conditions in the U.S. have quadrupled since 2000. Worst toll seen among patients who were low-income, white, under age 65 and on Medicare, and the severity of opioid misuse leading to hospitalization has increased.

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Doctors may be prescribing nearly twice the number of opioids than what the average patient needs after a hysterectomy, a new study suggests.

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Cannabis use in youth is linked to bipolar symptoms in young adults, finds new research by the University of Warwick.

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New study results suggest that a more vigilant prescribing guideline for surgeons could reduce by as much as 40 percent the number of opioid pills prescribed after operations, and still meet patients’ pain management needs.

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A cross-section of opioid prescribers that typically do not prescribe large volumes of opioids, including primary care physicians, surgeons and non-physician health care providers, frequently prescribe opioids to high-risk patients, according to a new study by researchers at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.

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West Virginia University’s chief economist said the opioid epidemic in West Virginia and across the U.S. has come with a hefty price tag, causing a void in this state’s economy of nearly $1 billion.

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Media Pitch: People with a mental illness are twice as likely to have a substance use problem compared to the general population. At least 20% of people with a mental illness have a co-occurring substance use problem.

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Early-age drinking is common in many western nations; for example, 54 percent of Australian 14- to 19-year olds have reported past-year alcohol use. Although early-age drinking has been associated with developing later alcohol problems, findings have been inconsistent. This study used data from the Australian Parental Supply of Alcohol Longitudinal Study to examine age at first drink, age of first drunkenness, and associations with subsequent drinking during adolescence.

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Can acupuncture and yoga help to fight the opioid epidemic? These and other integrative medicine approaches have shown at least preliminary evidence of effectiveness in pain management, according to an article in the December issue of Anesthesia & Analgesia—a special thematic issue addressing the opioid crisis.

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The research shows that a range of compounds can deliver pain-blocking potency without affecting respiration.

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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.

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a new study concludes that two of the top medications available for outpatient, office-based treatment, once initiated, are equally safe and effective in curtailing opioid use, relapse, treatment drop-out and overdose.

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A white paper designed to provide New York State healthcare providers and communities with the tools to manage and reduce opioid use disorder in pregnancy will be released by the American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists.

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Mietlicki-Baase is one of a handful of researchers studying amylin’s effects on food reward and how amylin signaling in the brain differs between males and females.

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Rural counties continue to rank lowest among counties across the U.S., in terms of health outcomes. A group of national organizations including the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the National 4-H Council are leading the way to close the rural health gap.

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Study findings highlight need for manufacturing and testing standards and federal government oversight.

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Heavy drinking impairs balance and motor coordination, which is why increased body sway is a useful indicator to both police and bartenders that a person may be intoxicated. People often drink alcohol at the same time that they ingest stimulant drugs such as caffeine or nicotine, yet it is unclear how these stimulants affect alcohol-induced balance impairment. This study examined whether combining a high-caffeine energy drink with alcohol can influence expected alcohol-induced increases in body sway.

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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.

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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 at the 2017 ACR/ARHP Annual Meeting in San Diego.

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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.

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Alcohol-fueled parties might be seen as a rite of passage for many high school students, but they have an unexpected impact: binge-drinking behavior as teenagers can lead to problems with alcohol and other drug dependence later on in life.

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While continuing a nine-year trend of tepid growth and modest gains since the end of the Great Recession, the Indiana economy should outpace the nation in 2018, following stronger performance this year driven by strong auto sales and other manufacturing output.

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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.

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A $2.5 million federal grant will allow a multidisciplinary team at McGovern Medical School at UTHealth in Houston to provide prevention and treatment information about HIV, AIDS and sexually transmitted diseases to underserved individuals with substance abuse or mental disorders.

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An Australian research team involving the University of Adelaide and La Trobe University has been awarded funding from the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to help combat one of sport’s biggest challenges: doping.

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Clinicians are on the front line of detecting opioid addiction – but need to be better trained on treatment solutions

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The report, “The Opioid Epidemic: From Evidence to Impact,” maps out a blueprint for national action on the epidemic and details dozens of concrete, evidence-based steps for everyone working to fight the opioid crisis in America – from the health care, advocacy, nonprofit, government, academic, and business sectors.

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President Trump’s declaring the opioid epidemic a national health emergency is a critical first step, but it does not address the urgent need for more federal funds to fight this crisis, according to the CEO of the American Psychological Association.

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Hackensack Meridian Health, New Jersey’s most comprehensive health care network, hosted a symposium to update providers and the community on the network’s strategies to help those suffering from substance use disorders, an event that drew 450 people and featured a compelling personal story of recovery and call to action from former Congressman Patrick J. Kennedy.

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ASA today announced its support of President Donald J. Trump’s announcement officially declaring the opioid crisis a public health emergency. The ASA applauds the president’s administration for taking this important step toward addressing drug addiction and opioid overuse and abuse.

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