Feature Channels: Drugs and Drug Abuse

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Released: 3-Dec-2020 12:55 PM EST
After CDC guidance, little change in opioid prescriptions to those at risk of misuse
Saint Louis University

Research from Saint Louis University finds that among patients at risk for opioid misuse, the odds of receiving a schedule II opioid for non-cancer pain were similar to those not at risk, despite new prescribing guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC).

Released: 23-Nov-2020 11:50 AM EST
Nurse practitioners play key role in opioid addiction treatment in very rural areas
Washington State University

Giving nurse practitioners the authority to prescribe buprenorphine has brought that gold standard treatment for opioid addiction to people who might not have had access to it before, according to a new study led by Tracy Klein, PhD, associate professor at the Washington State University College of Nursing in Vancouver.

Released: 17-Nov-2020 8:45 AM EST
Cannabis strength soars over past half century -- new study
University of Bath

New research shows that over the past 50 years street cannabis across the world has become substantially stronger carrying an increased risk of harm.

Released: 10-Nov-2020 3:05 PM EST
Understanding Impacts of COVID-19 on Substance Use Disorder and Treatment
Rutgers University-New Brunswick

A Rutgers expert discusses the many impacts of COVID-19 on people with substance use disorder and what treatment providers, policymakers and researchers are doing to help.

Released: 26-Oct-2020 8:55 AM EDT
Real-time opioid overdose tracking system shows rise in the time of COVID-19
Michigan Medicine - University of Michigan

An epidemic that was already raging before COVID-19 arrived has flared up in recent months, according to a real-time tracking system in Michigan. It shows a 15 percent rise in suspected opioid overdose deaths since March, compared with the same time last year, and a 29% rise in first responders’ use of the rescue drug naloxone.

Released: 20-Oct-2020 2:25 PM EDT
From pills to powder: 1 in 3 high school seniors who misused prescription opioids later used heroin
University of Michigan

Nearly one-third of students who reported misusing prescription opioids as high school seniors between 1997 and 2000, but did not have a history of medical use, later used heroin by age 35, according to a University of Michigan study.

28-Sep-2020 11:50 AM EDT
Significant decline in prescription opioid abuse seen among Americans at last
American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA)

Almost 20 years into the opioid epidemic, there finally is evidence of significant and continual decreases in the abuse of these risky pain medications, according to an analysis of national data being presented at the ANESTHESIOLOGY® 2020 annual meeting.

Released: 21-Sep-2020 5:05 AM EDT
College Students with Disabilities at Greater Risk for Substance Abuse
Rutgers University-New Brunswick

College students with physical and cognitive disabilities use illicit drugs more, and have a higher prevalence of drug use disorder, than their non-disabled peers, according to a Rutgers study.

Released: 17-Sep-2020 10:45 AM EDT
Preparing Future Clinicians to Intervene in Opioid Crisis
University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing

Opioid use disorder and overdose have reached unprecedented levels around the world. In the United States, remediation of pain is one of the most common reasons American adults seek healthcare. Therefore, it is vital that clinicians practicing in diverse roles and settings have a clinical understanding of pain and substance use disorders as well as knowledge about public health and opioid policy interventions.

14-Sep-2020 8:00 AM EDT
Potent Drug Supply Drop, Not U.S. Domestic Drug Policies, Likely Behind 2018’s Overdose Death Downturn
Health Sciences at the University of Pittsburgh

The slight decline in drug overdose deaths in 2018 coincides with Chinese regulations on the powerful opioid carfentanil, rather than the result of domestic U.S. efforts to curb the opioid epidemic, a University of Pittsburgh Graduate School of Public Health analysis revealed today.

Released: 15-Sep-2020 4:35 PM EDT
UTEP Partnership Receives Federal Grant to Combat Opioid Abuse in West Texas Counties
University of Texas at El Paso

The University of Texas at El Paso’s Minority AIDS Research Center (MARC) is the subrecipient of a $1 million implementation grant to target substance use disorders and opioid use disorders in five rural counties along the Texas-Mexico border.

Released: 15-Sep-2020 11:40 AM EDT
Abandoned Buildings, Fear of Calling Police Contribute to High Rate of Fatal Overdoses in Philadelphia, New Study Shows
American University

Abandoned Buildings, Fear of Calling Police Contribute to High Rate of Fatal Overdoses in Philadelphia, New Study Shows

Released: 14-Sep-2020 2:45 PM EDT
Virtual Reality Trains Public to Reverse Opioid Overdoses
University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing

The United States has seen a 200% increase in the rate of deaths by opioid overdose in the last 20 years. But many of these deaths were preventable. Naloxone, also called Narcan, is a prescription drug that reverses opioid overdoses, and in more than 40 states — including Pennsylvania — there is a standing order policy, which makes it available to anyone, without an individual prescription from a healthcare provider.

Released: 11-Sep-2020 10:10 AM EDT
University of Miami Miller School Researcher Wins NIH Avenir Award to Pursue Innovative Opioid Addiction Research
University of Miami Health System, Miller School of Medicine

Luis M. Tuesta, Ph.D., assistant professor in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, has been awarded the Avenir Award from the National Institute on Drug Abuse, part of the National Institutes of Health, to study the epigenetic mechanisms of microglial activation and their role in shaping the behavioral course of opioid use disorder.

Released: 8-Sep-2020 8:00 AM EDT
A pain reliever that alters perceptions of risk
Ohio State University

While acetaminophen is helping you deal with your headache, it may also be making you more willing to take risks, a new study suggests. People who took acetaminophen rated activities like “bungee jumping off a tall bridge” as less risky than people who took a placebo.

   
Released: 3-Sep-2020 7:05 PM EDT
UCLA Cannabis Research Initiative launches COVID-19 survey
University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), Health Sciences

To better understand the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on cannabis and CBD use, the UCLA Cannabis Research Initiative has launched the Cannabis, CBD and COVID Survey.

30-Aug-2020 11:00 AM EDT
Study Details How General Anesthetics And ‘Benzos’ Act on Receptors in The Brain
UT Southwestern Medical Center

As you drift into unconsciousness before a surgery, general anesthetic drugs flowing through your blood are putting you to sleep by binding mainly to a protein in the brain called the ɣ-aminobutyric acid type A (GABAA) receptor. Now UT Southwestern scientists have shown exactly how anesthetics attach to the GABAA receptor and alter its three-dimensional structure, and how the brain can tell the difference between anesthetics and the psychoactive drugs known as benzodiazepines – which also bind to the GABAA receptor. The findings were published online today in the journal Nature.

Released: 27-Aug-2020 4:05 PM EDT
Algorithm aims to alert consumers before they use illicit online pharmacies
Penn State Institute for Computational and Data Sciences

In a study, a team of Penn State researchers report that an algorithm they developed may be able to spot illicit online pharmacies that could be providing customers with substandard medications without their knowledge, among other potential problems.

   
19-Aug-2020 9:00 AM EDT
Clubs Closed? Study Finds Partygoers Turn to Virtual Raves and Happy Hours During Pandemic
New York University

People have traded in nightclubs and dance festivals for virtual raves and Zoom happy hours as a result of lockdowns during the COVID-19 pandemic—yet, many are using drugs in these socially distanced settings, according to a new study by researchers at NYU Grossman School of Medicine and the Center for Drug Use and HIV/HCV Research at NYU School of Global Public Health.

Released: 24-Aug-2020 9:00 PM EDT
New Remote Learning Program to Prevent Drug Abuse
National Health Promotion Associates

In the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, opioid misuse and addiction continue to devastate communities around the US.

   
Released: 24-Aug-2020 12:50 PM EDT
COVID poses hardships for people with substance abuse problems
University of Michigan

FACULTY Q&ABoth fatal and nonfatal overdoses have increased this year compared to last, according to a recent report by the Overdose Data Mapping Application Program. And, anecdotal information suggests that compared to last year, people in recovery are relapsing at alarming rates.Faculty from the University of Michigan School of Nursing’s Center for the Study of Drugs, Alcohol, Smoking and Health discuss why the pandemic has hit people with substance abuse problems especially hard and the expanded role of virtual recovery programs.

Released: 24-Aug-2020 11:00 AM EDT
Clinical Utility of Hana® Orthopedic Table Highlighted in New Study: 97% of Direct Anterior Approach Hip Replacement Patients Needed Little to No Opioid Pain Medication After Surgery
Mizuho OSI

Mizuho OSI®, a leading manufacturer of specialty surgical tables and pressure injury abatement solutions would like to announce the publication of a new clinical study titled “23-hour Total Hip Replacement Requiring Only 3.5 Opioid Pills Through 6 Weeks: A Non-selected Prospective Consecutive One Year Cohort”, by Andrew Wickline MD, now appearing in the peer-reviewed Journal of Orthopedic Experience & Innovation (JournalOEI)

Released: 20-Aug-2020 11:25 AM EDT
IUPUI study looks at prevention strategy for substance use disorder
Indiana University

A recent study from IUPUI found risk factors for substance use disorder affect age groups differently and proposes a primary prevention strategy for substance use disorder that is individualized for people within defined age groups.

   
11-Aug-2020 8:00 AM EDT
American Chemical Society Fall 2020 Virtual Meeting Press Conference Schedule
American Chemical Society (ACS)

Watch live and recorded press conferences at https://www.acs.org/content/acs/en/pressroom/news-room/press-conferences.html. Press conferences will be held Monday, Aug. 17 through Thursday, Aug. 20, 2020

   
Released: 18-Aug-2020 3:05 PM EDT
COVID poses hardships for people with substance abuse problems
University of Michigan

Both fatal and nonfatal overdoses have increased this year compared to last, according to a recent report by the Overdose Data Mapping Application Program. And, anecdotal information suggests that compared to last year, people in recovery are relapsing at alarming rates. Faculty from the University of Michigan School of Nursing's Center for the Study of Drugs, Alcohol, Smoking and Health discuss why the pandemic has hit people with substance abuse problems especially hard and the expanded role of virtual recovery programs.

16-Aug-2020 8:55 AM EDT
Live Press Conference: Negative side effects of opioids could be coming from users’ own immune systems (video)
American Chemical Society (ACS)

A press conference on this topic will be held Tuesday, Aug. 17, at 9 a.m. Eastern time online at www.acs.org/fall2020pressconferences.

14-Aug-2020 1:35 PM EDT
Patients taking long-term opioids produce antibodies against the drugs
University of Wisconsin–Madison

University of Wisconsin–Madison scientists have discovered that a majority of back-pain patients they tested who were taking opioid painkillers produced anti-opioid antibodies. These antibodies may contribute to some of the negative side effects of long-term opioid use.

11-Aug-2020 8:00 AM EDT
Negative side effects of opioids could be coming from users’ own immune systems (video)
American Chemical Society (ACS)

Opioid users can develop chronic inflammation and heightened pain sensitivity. These side effects might stem from the body’s own immune system, which can make antibodies against the drugs. The researchers will present their results at the American Chemical Society Fall 2020 Virtual Meeting & Expo.

13-Aug-2020 10:25 AM EDT
Patients’ Access to Opioid Treatment Cumbersome
Vanderbilt University Medical Center

The “secret shopper” study used trained actors attempting to get into treatment with an addiction provider in 10 U.S. states. The results, with more than 10,000 unique patients, revealed numerous challenges in scheduling a first-time appointment to receive medications for opioid use disorder, including finding a provider who takes insurance rather than cash.

Released: 11-Aug-2020 12:15 PM EDT
Economists conclude opioid crisis responsible for millions of children living apart from parents
University of Notre Dame

Affiliates with Notre Dame’s Wilson Sheehan Lab for Economic Opportunities found that greater exposure to the opioid crisis increases the chance that a child’s mother or father is absent from the household and increases the likelihood that he or she lives in a household headed by a grandparent.

Released: 10-Aug-2020 4:05 PM EDT
Young adults' risks from first-time opioid prescriptions may not be as high as previously thought
Indiana University

Young adults and adolescents who are prescribed opioids for the first time may be at a slightly greater risk of developing a substance-related problem later in life, according to a new study co-authored by Indiana University researchers. However, the risk may not be as high as previously thought.

4-Aug-2020 5:00 AM EDT
Sanford Burnham Prebys awarded $4.5 million NIH grant for mental illness therapeutics
Sanford Burnham Prebys

Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute has been awarded a $4.5 million grant from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to identify new therapies for mental health disorders. The research will be headed by Layton Smith, Ph.D., and Michael Jackson, Ph.D., of the Institute’s Conrad Prebys Center for Chemical Genomics. The funding supports the discovery of new classes of drugs that target “orphan” receptors to treat psychological conditions such as schizophrenia, depression, anxiety and substance abuse.

Released: 5-Aug-2020 8:55 AM EDT
Study Suggests Drug Overdose Linked to PTSD
Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health

Drug overdoses are psychologically traumatic events that can lead to symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), according to a study focused on female sex workers in Baltimore City led by researchers at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.

Released: 20-Jul-2020 3:05 PM EDT
Legal marijuana may be slowing reductions in teen marijuana use, study says
University of Washington

A longitudinal study of more than 230 teens and young adults in Washington state finds that teens may be more likely to use marijuana following legalization – with the proliferation of stores and increasing adult use of the drug -- than they otherwise would have been.

Released: 20-Jul-2020 8:45 AM EDT
Traditional PTSD Therapy Doesn't Trigger Drug Relapse
Johns Hopkins Medicine

Johns Hopkins researchers have demonstrated that behavior therapy that exposes people to memories of their trauma doesn’t cause relapses of opioid or other drug use, and that PTSD severity and emotional problems have decreased after the first therapy session.

Released: 16-Jul-2020 9:35 AM EDT
Tufts awards seed funding for work in prevention and treatment of opioid addiction
Tufts University

Tufts awards seed funding to 8 projects that seek to address the complex individual & community challenges wrought by the opioid epidemic. The inaugural awards of the Tufts Initiative on Substance Use and Addiction demonstrate a multidisciplinary drive to address this pressing public health crisis.

Released: 24-Jun-2020 11:25 AM EDT
Linking Hospital and Other Records Can Predict Both Fatal and Nonfatal Opioid Overdoses, Study Suggests
Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health

A new study by researchers at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health found that the odds of a fatal opioid overdose were 1.5 times higher for individuals with one to two visits to the emergency department for any medical issue than for people with no hospital visits.

Released: 18-Jun-2020 11:00 AM EDT
Research News Tip Sheet: Story Ideas from Johns Hopkins Medicine
Johns Hopkins Medicine

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Johns Hopkins Medicine Media Relations is focused on disseminating current, accurate and useful information to the public via the media. As part of that effort, we are distributing our “COVID-19 Tip Sheet: Story Ideas from Johns Hopkins” every Tuesday throughout the duration of the outbreak.

Released: 16-Jun-2020 4:15 PM EDT
Roth Leads $26.9 Million Project to Create Better Psychiatric Medications
University of North Carolina School of Medicine

Funded by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, a team of internationally acclaimed researchers led by UNC School of Medicine’s Bryan L. Roth, MD, PhD, aims to create new medications to effectively and rapidly treat depression, anxiety, and substance abuse without major side effects.

10-Jun-2020 2:30 PM EDT
Delta Opioid Receptor Identified as Promising Therapeutic Target for Inflammatory Pain Relief
New York University

Delta opioid receptors have a built-in mechanism for pain relief and can be precisely targeted with drug-delivering nanoparticles—making them a promising target for treating chronic inflammatory pain with fewer side effects, according to a new study from an international team of researchers. The study, published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS), was conducted using cells from humans and mice with inflammatory bowel disease, which can cause chronic pain.

Released: 15-Jun-2020 8:25 AM EDT
Researchers flush out worrying trend of designer drug use
University of South Australia

In a sign that designer drugs are becoming more prevalent in Australia, synthetic cathinones – commonly known as ‘bath salts’ – have been detected in the nation’s wastewater in the largest study of its kind in the country.

11-Jun-2020 7:05 AM EDT
Fentanyl Tops List of Drugs Found in Baltimore Overdose Patients
University of Maryland Medical Center

Fentanyl is not typically part of hospital tests for illicit drug use, however, a new University of Maryland study found after expanding testing that fentanyl, linked to most fatal overdoses in Maryland, tops the list of drugs detected in overdose patients at two Baltimore hospital ERs. The researchers suggest addition of fentanyl to routine drug tests.

Released: 8-Jun-2020 11:00 AM EDT
Study Shows Opioid, Sedative and Antidepressant Use Pre-Surgery Leads to Worse Outcomes
University of Kentucky

A study led by University of Kentucky Markey Cancer Center researchers showed that patients who already used opioids, sedatives or antidepressants prior to colorectal surgery experience significantly more complications post-surgery.

Released: 2-Jun-2020 12:20 PM EDT
Tulane social work professor awarded grant to reduce substance abuse and violence among Native American families
Tulane University

The $2.7 million grant from the National Institutes of Health will enable researchers to identify interventions that will lead to a healthier, more resilient Native American community.

26-May-2020 1:40 PM EDT
Lesbian, Gay, and Bisexual Older Adults at Higher Risk for Substance Use
New York University

Middle-aged and older adults who identify as lesbian, gay, or bisexual have higher rates of using certain substances in the past year than those who identify as heterosexual, according to a new study led by researchers at NYU Grossman School of Medicine and the Center for Drug Use and HIV/HCV Research (CDUHR) at NYU School of Global Public Health.

Released: 28-May-2020 3:50 PM EDT
Users of high-potency cannabis four times more likely to report associated problems
University of Bristol

Users of high-potency cannabis are four times more likely to report associated problems, and twice as likely to report anxiety disorder, than users of lower-potency strains, according to new research from the University of Bristol.

22-May-2020 12:05 PM EDT
Follow-up Treatments After Opioid Overdose Rare Among Insured Patients
Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania

Of nearly 6,500 commercially insured patients treated in EDs nationwide for an overdose or other opioid-related medical complications, only 16 percent accessed opioid use disorder (OUD) medications or another form of treatment within three months of the ED visit.



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