Opioids are a widely used treatment for pain. Patients who take them on a regular basis can become tolerant, requiring a higher dose for continued pain relief.
After Fivefold Increase Over a Decade, Prescriptions for Opioids are Stabilizing
Official data indicates that death rates from opioids have been soaring in the U.S. since the 1990s.
Official data indicates that death rates from opioids have been soaring in the U.S. since the 1990s.
While there has been extensive research on animals and opioid tolerance, this was the first study to examine both human patients and rats. The researchers compared patients with cancer-related pain controlled by strong opioids such as morphine with age-matched control subjects without cancer who were not taking opioids. They found that in both cancer patients and rats, subjects regularly given opioids and deemed opioid tolerant had an increased concentration of CXCL1 compared to those not regularly administered opioids. The rats were given additional CXCL1 in the space surrounding the spinal cord, which increased the rate of onset and severity of tolerance, providing further evidence that the protein contributes to tolerance. In a second phase of the study, the rats were administered a CXCL1 neutralizing or blocking agent that at least partially maintained the effectiveness of the opioid.
"Opioids are a mainstay of treatment for severe pain, especially cancer pain," said Dr. Lin. "By suppressing opioid tolerance, we can help patients achieve prolonged pain relief without the side effects of increased opioid dosages."
Prescriptions for Benzodiazepines Rising and Risky When Combined With Opioids
Prescriptions for benzodiazepines are rising in primary care, and their frequent combined use with opioid analgesics may be contributing to medication-related deaths, a finding that goes largely unreported.
Prescriptions for benzodiazepines are rising in primary care, and their frequent combined use with opioid analgesics may be contributing to medication-related deaths, a finding that goes largely unreported.
Source-Newswise
Opioids and Their Relation to Chronic Pain
Though the dangers of hydrocodone, oxycodone and other opioids are well known, there is still a lot left to know about its relation to chronic pain
Though the dangers of hydrocodone, oxycodone and other opioids are well known, there is still a lot left to know about its relation to chronic pain
High-dose Opioids Improves Mental and Physiologic Function
New research shows that half of patients on high-dose, long-term opioid therapy had hormonal disturbances or signs of inflammation, while 100 percent reported improved pain control and mental outlook.
New research shows that half of patients on high-dose, long-term opioid therapy had hormonal disturbances or signs of inflammation, while 100 percent reported improved pain control and mental outlook.
