Tag: opioids
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New Orleans Doctor Reimagines Addiction Care: From Opioids to Holistic Healing
In the Heart of New Orleans, a Different Approach to Addiction Dr. Elyse Stevens has spent years stepping into some of the most stubborn medical deserts in the country: patients struggling with opioid dependence, chronic pain, and social barriers that complicate recovery. Based in New Orleans, Stevens has become a notable voice in a field…
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Kratom and 7-OH: The Rising US Trend and FDA’s Addiction Concerns
Understanding the Kratom Surge Across the United States, Kratom and its derivative products containing 7-Hydroxymitragynine (7-OH) are increasingly available in smoke shops, head shops, and online retailers. Proponents argue that these botanical products offer a natural alternative for managing pain, anxiety, and opioid withdrawal symptoms. Critics, however, point to a growing body of evidence that…
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Kratom, 7-OH Products, and the FDA Warning: The Narrow Path Between Popularity and Risk
The Growing Popularity of Kratom and 7-OH Products Across the United States, a growing number of consumers are turning to kratom and products containing the active compound 7-hydroxy mitragynine (7-OH) as alternatives to traditional opioids. Sold in many smoke shops, vape shops, and online retailers, these products are often marketed as mood boosters, energy enhancers,…
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Canada’s Pain Medication Shortages Hit Chronic Pain Patients
Canada’s Pain Medication Shortages: An Everyday Crisis Across the country, chronic pain patients are navigating a growing and frustrating barrier to relief: a nationwide shortage of a commonly used combination medication—acetaminophen with oxycodone. For people who rely on this drug to manage severe pain and maintain a semblance of daily life, the shortage looks less…
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Xylazine Crisis: Zombifying Drug Wounds and Overdoses
What is Xylazine and why is it alarming? Xylazine, commonly known as tranq, is a potent animal sedative that has quietly moved from veterinary clinics to the streets. Although it was first developed in the 1960s as a medicine for controlling blood pressure, it never became a human-approved drug. In recent years, it has appeared…
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Global drug addiction mortality doubles as new cases fall: a wake-up call for harm reduction
Overview: a paradox in the global drug problem Recent analyses based on the Global Burden of Disease (GBD) 2021 data reveal a striking paradox: while the number of new drug use disorder (DUD) cases has declined in many regions, deaths and disability from drug addiction have surged. This paradox exposes critical gaps in global harm-reduction…
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Global drug addiction mortality rates surge despite fewer cases
Introduction: A paradox in global drug use New international data reveal a troubling paradox: the incidence of drug use disorders (DUDs) is not rising as rapidly as death and disability from drug use. A comprehensive analysis based on the 2021 Global Burden of Disease (GBD) study shows that while new cases of drug addiction have…
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Global Drug Addiction Mortality Surges Despite Fewer New Cases: A Global Health Alarm
What the latest analysis reveals A sweeping epidemiological review using the Global Burden of Disease (GBD) 2021 data shows a troubling paradox: global drug-use disorders (DUDs) are yielding far more deaths even as new cases decline. The study, published in Frontiers in Psychiatry, tracks trends from 1990 to 2021 and emphasizes that mortality and disability…
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Tramadol’s Limited Relief in Chronic Pain: Benefits Don’t Outweigh Harms, Study Finds
New analysis questions tramadol’s role in chronic pain management A comprehensive data analysis published online in BMJ Evidence Based Medicine raises concerns about the widespread use of tramadol for chronic pain. While the drug is a dual-action opioid used for moderate to severe pain, the study suggests its analgesic effect in chronic conditions is limited…
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Tramadol: Limited relief for chronic pain, higher risks
Summary: What the new analysis shows about tramadol and chronic pain A recent pooled data analysis published online in BMJ Evidence Based Medicine questions the overall value of tramadol for chronic pain management. The review suggests that while tramadol can slightly reduce pain, the magnitude of relief may be below what many clinicians and patients…