Opioid Use Disorder
Prescribing gabapentin with opioids may increase risk for OUD, overdose
Patients prescribed gabapentin plus opioids were at a greater risk for opioid use disorder and opioid-related overdoses than those prescribed solely opioids, according to a study by Epic Research.
Buprenorphine initiation plateaued before pandemic despite clinical, policy efforts
From 2016 to 2022, initiation of buprenorphine for opioid use disorder increased, then plateaued prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, with a median monthly retention rate of about 20%, according to a research letter published in JAMA.
Fibromyalgia-related pain may exacerbate opioid addiction
People with opioid use disorder who also had fibromyalgia were more likely to have pain-related exacerbation of their addiction compared with people who had chronic pain without fibromyalgia, findings published in Pain showed.
Telehealth services for opioid addiction reduced overdose deaths during COVID-19 pandemic
Medicare beneficiaries using telehealth services for opioid use disorder during the COVID-19 pandemic had a 33% lower risk for fatal drug overdose compared with beneficiaries receiving no treatment, findings in JAMA Psychiatry showed.
FDA grants de novo authorization to opioid overdose prevention, alert system
The FDA has granted de novo authorization for an opioid overdose-related prevention and alert system , according to a press release from the manufacturer.
Fibromyalgia increases odds of worsening pain-related opioid use disorder
Patients with fibromyalgia were at greater risk for pain-related exacerbations of opioid use disorder, according to a study published in Pain.
COVID-19 associated with significant increases in postpartum opioid prescription fills
Onset of the COVID-19 pandemic was associated with significant increases in postpartum opioid fills, which may lead to increases in adverse outcomes, according to a retrospective cross-sectional study published in JAMA Network Open.
APA: DEA telehealth guidelines should facilitate access to controlled substances
The American Psychiatric Association has recommended the Drug Enforcement Administration ensure access to buprenorphine and other controlled drugs through telehealth to combat the opioid epidemic and the national mental health crisis.
Hepatitis C diagnosis increasing among pregnant women
Hepatitis C virus among the U.S. obstetric population rose nearly 10-fold over 20 years, which might reflect an increase in screening or prevalence, according to researchers.
Buprenorphine initiation in ED safe, effective among patients with OUD who use fentanyl
Initiating buprenorphine in the ED to patients with opioid use disorder was safe, with fewer than 1% of patients experiencing precipitated withdrawal despite a high prevalence of fentanyl use, a recent study found.