On the HCPLive Addiction medicine condition center page, resources on the topics of medical news and expert insight into clinical addiction can be found. Content includes articles, interviews, videos, podcasts, and breaking news on addiction therapy research, treatment, and drug development.
May 6th 2024
Data from the ORCA-V trial suggests cytisinicline, a plant-based medication, aids adults in quitting e-cigarettes.
FDA Bars Generic Version of Oxycontin
April 17th 2013Declaring that the benefits of the original formulation of OxyContin no longer outweigh the risks of misuse and abuse, the FDA announced it would not approve any applications for non-tamper resistant formulations of the drug, a decision that could have far-reaching implications for all makers of opioid medications.
Managing Comorbid Conditions Associated with Chronic Pain
Pain has been associated with a number of conditions, including addiction, depression, and anxiety. Greater awareness of concurrent comorbid conditions and the options available to treat them produces better outcomes in chronic pain patients.
Prescription Opioids: Putting the Genie Back in the Bottle
February 15th 2013The push to provide better pain care and ensure adequate analgesia for patients living with chronic pain led to liberalized opioid prescription practices that have been accompanied by a massive increase in the abuse, misuse, and diversion of prescription opioids. Efforts to combat this include technological remedies such as "abuse-deterrent" formulations of opioids and educational approaches such as the REMS program approved by the FDA in 2012.
Product News: Linzess for Irritable Bowel Syndrome with Constipation
January 17th 2013Linzess (linaclotide capsules) was approved in August 2012 by the FDA as a once-daily treatment for adult men and women suffering from irritable bowel syndrome with constipation (IBS-C) or chronic idiopathic constipation (CIC).
Why REMS for Extended-Release/Long-Acting Opioids May NOT Matter
January 14th 2013The Canadian government's recent decision to allow the sale of a generic version of the original formulation of OxyContin could have serious consequences for efforts to curb opioid abuse, misuse, and diversion in the US.
5 Things I Wish I Learned in Medical School about Managing Pain
December 12th 2012With most medical schools devoting only a few curriculum hours to pain management training, many physicians begin their medical career underprepared to meet the needs of patients suffering with chronic pain. Here, Barry Cole, MD, identifies several key concepts that would help improve pain care in the US if only more physicians would learn about them sooner.
To Curb Prescription Opioid Abuse, Physicians Need to Get with the Program
August 17th 2012Jeanmarie Perrone, MD, coauthor of the recent NEJM article, "Medication Reconciliation for Controlled Substances - An ‘Ideal' Prescription-Drug Monitoring Program," discusses the current state of prescription drug monitoring programs around the country, several characteristics shared by successful programs, and the difficulty of getting physicians and patients to grasp the scope of the opioid abuse epidemic.
Addicts' Craving Triggers Differ by Sex
February 1st 2012Cravings in cocaine-dependent men appear to be triggered by drug cues while cravings in cocaine-dependent women appear to be triggered by stress, researchers at the Yale School of Medicine report in a study published online Jan. 31 in The American Journal of Psychiatry.
Methadone Dosing in Opioid Treatment Programs: Use the Evidence
January 3rd 2012The most successful opioid treatment programs and the most successful patients in those programs use evidence-based dosing of methadone. Many studies over the last 40 years show patients do better on adequate doses of methadone. They have better outcomes when they're on enough methadone to block physical withdrawal signs and symptoms than when they're on insufficient doses.
National Prescription Painkiller Overdoses at Epidemic Level
November 2nd 2011According to a recent report by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the death rates caused by overdoses of prescription painkillers has more than tripled in the past decade, surpassing the total number of deaths caused by heroin and cocaine combined.
Adding a New Tool to the Pain Management Toolbox
October 14th 2011An algorithm-driven resource can aid in promoting treatment adherence and identifying high-risk patients in opioid therapy. Anecdotal accounts and clinical studies alike indicate that primary care physicians and other clinicians who use opioid medications to treat patients for chronic pain are struggling to implement uniform and effective abuse and misuse assessment and risk management protocols.