Nebulized Naloxone for Acute Opioid Overdose
Paramedics present to an urban emergency department with a middle aged man found unresponsive in a nearby alley The paramedics were unable to obtain IV access due to years of drug abuse and overall poor venous access.
Physical Exam
General: Middle aged male, unresponsive to painful stimuli
Vital signs: P=57/min (sinus bradycardia) RR=5 breaths/min T=97.9 F
BP: 165/90 mmHg Pulse Ox=98% on a non re-breather
Head: normocephalic, atraumatic
ENT: pupils pinpoint, minimally reactive, + gag reflex
Lungs: clear to auscultation bilaterally, decreased respiratory rate
Cardiac: regular rate and rhythm, no murmur
Ext: cool to touch, g...
Source: EPMonthly.com - September 19, 2016 Category: Emergency Medicine Authors: Logan Plaster Tags: Uncategorized Source Type: news
Marijuana May Alleviate America’s Opioid Crisis, New Study Suggests
Access to medical marijuana may be cutting down on the overall use of opioids, including prescription painkillers like OxyContin and Percocet, new research suggests.
In a study, researchers from Columbia University’s Mailman School of Public Health analyzed traffic fatality data from 1999-2013 for 18 U.S states. They found that most states that passed medical marijuana laws saw an overall reduction in fatal crashes involving drivers who tested positive for opioids.
“We would expect the adverse consequences of opioid use to decrease over time in states where medical marijuana use is legal, as individu...
Source: Science - The Huffington Post - September 17, 2016 Category: Science Source Type: news
Marijuana May Alleviate America’s Opioid Crisis, New Study Suggests
Access to medical marijuana may be cutting down on the overall use of opioids, including prescription painkillers like OxyContin and Percocet, new research suggests.
In a study, researchers from Columbia University’s Mailman School of Public Health analyzed traffic fatality data from 1999-2013 for 18 U.S states. They found that most states that passed medical marijuana laws saw an overall reduction in fatal crashes involving drivers who tested positive for opioids.
“We would expect the adverse consequences of opioid use to decrease over time in states where medical marijuana use is legal, as individu...
Source: Healthy Living - The Huffington Post - September 17, 2016 Category: Consumer Health News Source Type: news
ED Hydrocodone/Acetaminophen Prescriptions in the VA ED Hydrocodone/Acetaminophen Prescriptions in the VA
How have prescribing patterns for hydrocodone/acetaminophen among veterans changed in recent years?Western Journal of Emergency Medicine: Integrating Emergency Care with Population Health (Source: Medscape Today Headlines)
Source: Medscape Today Headlines - September 14, 2016 Category: Consumer Health News Tags: Emergency Medicine Journal Article Source Type: news
Most on opioid painkillers OK with getting overdose antidote: Survey
Randy Dotinga, HealthDay News A small survey of people taking opioid painkillers like OxyContin and Vicodin found that most were willing to also fill prescriptions for an overdose antidote. (Source: Health News - UPI.com)
Source: Health News - UPI.com - September 13, 2016 Category: Consumer Health News Source Type: news
Most on Opioid Painkillers OK With Getting Overdose Antidote: Survey
TUESDAY, Sept. 13, 2016 -- A new, small survey of people taking powerful opioid painkillers like OxyContin and Vicodin found that most were willing to also fill prescriptions for an overdose antidote.
Three patients even used the antidote to treat... (Source: Drugs.com - Daily MedNews)
Source: Drugs.com - Daily MedNews - September 13, 2016 Category: Journals (General) Source Type: news
Saving lives by prescribing naloxone with opioid painkillers
In this study, researchers trained staff at six clinics in the San Francisco area on how to co-prescribe opioids and naloxone. They then looked at how often naloxone was actually prescribed, whether co-prescribing translated in fewer emergency department visits related to opioids, and whether the dose of prescribed opioids changed. Here’s what the study found:
When providers were trained in this approach, the number of naloxone prescriptions increased. So doctors seemed willing to co-prescribe.
Patients who were on higher dosages of opioids or had been to the emergency department in the past year because of opioids were...
Source: New Harvard Health Information - August 26, 2016 Category: Consumer Health News Authors: Sarah Wakeman, MD, FASAM, Medical Director, Massachusetts General Hospital Substance Use Disorder Initiative Tags: Addiction Behavioral Health Drugs and Supplements Pain Management Prevention Source Type: news
Case series: 8 patients exposed to phony alprazolam (Xanax) containing fentanyl and/or etizolam
3 out of 5 stars
Adverse Effects From Counterfeit Alprazolam Tablets. Arens AM et al. Ann Emerg Med 2016 Aug 8 [Epub ahead of print]
Reference
In March of this year,there were 9 deaths reported in Pinellas County, Florida (the Tampa/St. Petersburg area) associated with fake alprazolam (Xanax) tablets containing fentanyl. Earlier, similar counterfeit pills had been seen around San Francisco and in Monroe County Southern Illinois.
This letter, from the University of California-San Francisco and the California Poison Control System describes 8 cases — including 1 cardiac arrest — from that region. An additional victim ...
Source: The Poison Review - August 25, 2016 Category: Toxicology Authors: Leon Gussow Tags: Medical alprazolam counterfeit etizolam fake phony xanax Source Type: news
Counterfeit Pills Containing Fentanyl Found At Prince's Estate
Counterfeit pills containing the synthetic opioid fentanyl were found at Prince’s estate in Minneapolis, the Associated Press reported Sunday.
A source associated with the investigation told the AP that inspectors found pills in an Aleve bottle that were falsely labeled as “Watson 385,” a common marking for pills that contain acetaminophen and hydrocodone. However, the AP reports that at least one of the pills tested positive for fentanyl, which is thought to be about 100 times stronger than morphine.
The 57-year-old artist died in April from what medical examiners determined wa...
Source: Healthy Living - The Huffington Post - August 22, 2016 Category: Consumer Health News Source Type: news
Prince's Death From Fentanyl May Have Been Due To Counterfeit Generic Drugs
We ' ve known that the musical genius, Prince, died in April from an accidental overdose of the opioid, fentanyl. Investigators now tell AP that the source might have been counterfeit hydrocodone tablets. (Source: Forbes.com Healthcare News)
Source: Forbes.com Healthcare News - August 22, 2016 Category: Pharmaceuticals Authors: David Kroll Source Type: news
Report: Pills in Prince's home mislabeled, contained fentanyl
Pills seized inside Prince's Paisley Park compound by investigators were labeled as hydrocodone but actually contained fentanyl -- the drug that killed the singer -- according to a source with knowledge of the investigation who revealed the information to the Minneapolis Star Tribune. (Source: CNN.com - Health)
Source: CNN.com - Health - August 22, 2016 Category: Consumer Health News Source Type: news
Report: Pills found in Prince's home contained fentanyl
Pills seized inside Prince's Paisley Park compound by investigators were labeled as hydrocodone but actually contained fentanyl -- the drug that killed the singer -- according to a source with knowledge of the investigation who revealed the informati... (Source: WDSU.com - Health)
Source: WDSU.com - Health - August 22, 2016 Category: Consumer Health News Source Type: news
Official: Pills found at Prince's estate contained fentanyl
Many pills in music star's Paisley Park estate falsely labeled as hydrocodone, and instead contained much more powerful drug (Source: Health News: CBSNews.com)
Source: Health News: CBSNews.com - August 21, 2016 Category: Consumer Health News Source Type: news
Fentanyl and a novel synthetic opioid U-47700 masquerading as street "norco" in central California: a case report - Armenian P, Olson A, Anaya A, Kurtz A, Ruegner R, Gerona RR.
In 2013 and 2014, more than 700 deaths were attributed to fentanyl and fentanyl analogues in the United States. Of recent concern is the cluster of unintentional fentanyl overdoses because of tablets thought to be "Norco" purchased on the street in North... (Source: SafetyLit)
Source: SafetyLit - August 7, 2016 Category: Global & Universal Tags: Alcohol and Other Drugs Source Type: news
Fentanyl-Laced 'Norco' Is Lethal, Report Warns
Title: Fentanyl-Laced 'Norco' Is Lethal, Report WarnsCategory: Health NewsCreated: 7/29/2016 12:00:00 AMLast Editorial Review: 8/1/2016 12:00:00 AM (Source: MedicineNet Chronic Pain General)
Source: MedicineNet Chronic Pain General - August 1, 2016 Category: Anesthesiology Source Type: news
