Opioid

CDC data show opioid deaths dropped 4.6% overall during a 12-month period that encompassed 2017 and 2018, but there was an 11.1% increase in opioid deaths related to illicitly manufactured fentanyl.

A review published in Pediatrics revealed gaps and inconsistencies in findings about the outcomes of children exposed to opioids prenatally and those born with neonatal abstinence syndrome, or NAS.

Published results showed significant variability in post-discharge opiate and non-opiate prescribing habits after total hip and knee arthroplasty among American Association of Hip and Knee Surgeons members.

Patients receiving buprenorphine for treatment of opioid use disorder were more likely to use medications for unrelated, chronic conditions like depression, a study published in Medical Care revealed.

A model that researchers dubbed “Six Building Blocks” led to significant decreases in the proportion of patients on high-dose opioids and the total number of patients receiving opioids in rural clinics, according to findings recently published in Annals of Family Medicine.