Opioid Use Disorder

Although clinical visits and refills among patients already receiving opioid use disorder medication did not decrease during the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic, fewer people initiated new treatment, according to research published in JAMA Network Open.

CMS recently announced that many of the expanded telehealth services it is covering due to COVID-19 will be permanently covered after the pandemic.

Women with breast cancer who underwent mastectomy and reconstructive surgery may be at increased risk for new chronic persistent drug use, according to study results presented at the virtual San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium.

Researchers have developed a machine-learning algorithm that can predict opioid use disorder in patients prior to clinical diagnosis, according to a study published in Pharmacology Research & Perspectives.

Psychiatrists can play an important role in addressing the opioid crisis by optimizing medication-assisted treatment, according to a presenter at the NEI Max Virtual Conference.

A program implemented in Kentucky — one of the states hit hardest by the opioid epidemic — provided “proof of concept” that infectious disease providers can help treat patients with opioid use disorder, researchers reported at IDWeek.

The American Heart Association announced new guidance and updates to prior recommendations for the 2020 guidelines for CPR and emergency CV care, according to a publication in Circulation.

With judicious use, opioids may, in fact, have a role in managing chronic pain in the rheumatology setting, according to a presenter at the 2020 Congress of Clinical Rheumatology-West.

Acetaminophen and ibuprofen may manage postoperative pain after dermatologic surgery while avoiding opioid exposure, according to a presentation at the American Society for Dermatologic Surgery annual meeting.

Cannabis use significantly increased the odds for nonmedical opioid use among adults with a history of substance abuse, according to research published in Addiction.