Fentanyl

Two-thirds of an estimated 108,174 overdose deaths in the United States in the 12 months ending in April 2022 can be attributed to synthetic opioids, specifically illicitly manufactured fentanyl, researchers reported in MMWR.

Mortality due to overdose reached an all-time high among adolescents aged 10 to 19 years in 2020 amid the pandemic, researchers reported in the Journal of Adolescent Health.

An increase of methadone-involved overdose deaths beginning in March 2020 was linked to a rise in overdose deaths from illicitly made fentanyl, not policy changes for take-home methadone, data show.

HHS has announced nearly $15 million in funding will be granted for rural communities to address psychostimulant misuse and related overdose deaths.

The CDC estimates that 107,622 overdose deaths occurred in 2021, a 14.9% increase from 2020, which previously held the record for overdose deaths in a 12-month period, according to a report from the National Center for Health Statistics.

CHICAGO — Now more than ever, opioid use disorder must be treated by primary care physicians, according to Ann R. Garment, MD, FACP, a clinical associate professor at the NYU Grossman School of Medicine.

For the first time, provisional data from the CDC showed that more than 100,000 people in the United States died from drug overdoses in a 12-month period.

For patients with unstable angina or non-STEMI referred for coronary angiography, the use of fentanyl as an analgesic for chest pain slowed the absorption of ticagrelor, resulting in greater platelet reactivity compared with lignocaine.

Deep sedation used outside of the operating room may be a convenient alternative to general anesthesia in pediatric eye procedures, according to a poster presentation.

In an effort to reduce overdose deaths, the CDC and the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration announced that federal funds can now be used to buy rapid fentanyl test strips.