While Politicians Cut Opioid Prescriptions, Fentanyl —With Help From the “Dark Web” and the USPS— Becomes the Number One Killer
A May 22 story in Bloomberg News describes with painstaking detail the underground pipeline through which the powerful synthetic opioid fentanyl floods the US market. According to the Drug Enforcement Administration, while the Mexican cartel plays a role by using its well-established heroin and methamphetamine d istribution networks, most of the fentanyl comes in to the US from China. The raw materials to make the synthetic opioids are cheap and they can be manufactured rather quickly in small laboratories. The laboratories are constantly creating new variations so as to skirt restrictions the Chinese government places...
Source: Cato-at-liberty - May 23, 2018 Category: American Health Authors: Jeffrey A. Singer Source Type: blogs
Chronic pain treatment: Psychotherapy, not opioids, has been proven to work - Vox
When pain settled into Blair Golson's hands, it didn't let go.What started off as light throbbing in one wrist 10 years ago quickly engulfed the other. The discomfort then spread, producing a pain much"like slapping your hands against a concrete wall," he says. He was constantly stretching them, constantly shaking them, while looking for hot or cold surfaces to lay them on for relief.But worse was the deep sense of catastrophe that accompanied the pain. Working in tech-related startups, he depended on his hands to type."Every time the pain got bad, I would think some variation of,'Oh no, I'm ...
Source: Psychology of Pain - May 20, 2018 Category: Anesthesiology Source Type: blogs
A Brief Look at Dexcom G6 Continuous Glucose Monitoring System
Last month, Dexcom received FDA approval for the latest version of its continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) system, the G6. Amongst a number of improvements to the system, the most highly-anticipated new feature was the elimination of required fingersticks to calibrate the system.
We received a (non-functional) demo of the Dexcom G6 system containing the sensor patch, transmitter, sensor applicator tool, receiver, and an iOS app for our smartphone. Here’s a closer look at the system:
Sensor Patch and Transmitter
For those of you unfamiliar with CGMs, the sensor is a patch that is worn typically on the abdomen and con...
Source: Medgadget - May 3, 2018 Category: Medical Devices Authors: Scott Jung Tags: Exclusive Medicine Pediatrics Source Type: blogs
How to talk to your doctor about medication
Pharmacology has changed the practice of medicine. Scientists are continually working on new and better drugs to manage medical conditions, from high blood pressure to autoimmune diseases to cancer. The mechanism of a drug — how it actually works on the condition it is mean to treat — is one important factor, but drug delivery, meaning how the medication arrives at the target it is meant to affect, is also key.
As a patient, it’s your right to understand everything about a medication prescribed for you. That doesn’t mean you have to become a scientist or pass an exam about pharmacology. But you can and should ask y...
Source: Harvard Health Blog - April 23, 2018 Category: Consumer Health News Authors: Carolyn A. Bernstein, MD, FAHS Tags: Drugs and Supplements Health Health care Source Type: blogs
Gottlieb Discusses Opioids and Lays Out Vision
Conclusion
Commissioner Gottlieb ended his speech by recognizing that “we haven’t seen meaningful, voluntary actions,” when it comes to opioids and to that end, the FDA is planning to host a summit with CEOs and other senior representatives of internet stakeholders, academics, and various advocacy groups to identify technology gaps and possible solutions.
Both the House and the Senate are working on a variety of bipartisan proposals that could be included in the next legislative package addressing the opioid epidemic. The House Energy and Commerce Committee has the third in its hearing series on this topic schedule...
Source: Policy and Medicine - April 18, 2018 Category: American Health Authors: Thomas Sullivan - Policy & Medicine Writing Staff Source Type: blogs
Gottlieb Discusses Opioids and Lays Out Vision - Google it's Your Turn
Conclusion
Commissioner Gottlieb ended his speech by recognizing that “we haven’t seen meaningful, voluntary actions,” when it comes to opioids and to that end, the FDA is planning to host a summit with CEOs and other senior representatives of internet stakeholders, academics, and various advocacy groups to identify technology gaps and possible solutions.
Both the House and the Senate are working on a variety of bipartisan proposals that could be included in the next legislative package addressing the opioid epidemic. The House Energy and Commerce Committee has the third in its hearing series on this topic schedule...
Source: Policy and Medicine - April 6, 2018 Category: American Health Authors: Thomas Sullivan - Policy & Medicine Writing Staff Source Type: blogs
Are you taking too much anti-inflammatory medication?
Follow me on Twitter @RobShmerling
You might call them pain relievers. You might take them for back pain, headache, or arthritis. Your doctor calls them “NSAIDs,” which stands for nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. Whatever you call them and for whatever reason you take them, NSAIDs are among the most popular medications worldwide. In fact, estimates suggest that about 15% of the US population takes an NSAID regularly (including those that are over the counter and prescription strength). Along with sporadic users, more than 30 billion doses are taken each year.
Some of the most common NSAIDs include ibuprofen (as in...
Source: Harvard Health Blog - April 2, 2018 Category: Consumer Health News Authors: Robert H. Shmerling, MD Tags: Arthritis Back Pain Drugs and Supplements Headache Health Injuries Pain Management Source Type: blogs
LITFL Review 325
LITFL • Life in the Fast Lane Medical Blog LITFL • Life in the Fast Lane Medical Blog - Emergency medicine and critical care medical education blog
Welcome to the 325th LITFL Review! Your regular and reliable source for the highest highlights, sneakiest sneak peeks and loudest shout-outs from the webbed world of emergency medicine and critical care. Each week the LITFL team casts the spotlight on the blogosphere’s best and brightest and deliver a bite-sized chunk of FOAM.
Readers can subscribe to LITFL review RSS or LITFL review EMAIL subscription
The Most Fair Dinkum Ripper Beauts of the Week
The New York T...
Source: Life in the Fast Lane - April 2, 2018 Category: Emergency Medicine Authors: Marjorie Lazoff, MD Tags: Education LITFL review Source Type: blogs
Dexcom G6 Continuous Glucometer Doesn ’t Require Finger Pricks
Dexcom landed FDA clearance under the de novo classification process for its Dexcom G6 continuous glucose monitor, which can be used as a standalone monitor or as a part of an automated insulin delivery system. The neatest feature of the Dexcom G6 is that the sensor doesn’t require calibration and so pricking the finger can be a thing of the past nearly completely, save for visits to the doctor’s office.
Once applied to the skin, the small sensor patch can stay on for up to ten days through sleep, showers, and most other normal activities, transmitting its readings to a smartphone, smartwatch, or its own uniqu...
Source: Medgadget - March 29, 2018 Category: Medical Devices Authors: Editors Tags: Medicine Pediatrics Source Type: blogs
The Other Opioid Crisis: Hospital Shortages Lead To Patient Pain, Medical Error
I came across this public-accesss story, and wanted to share the perspective:
Pauline Bartolone, Kaiser Health News
Even as opioids flood American communities and fuel widespread addiction, hospitals are facing a dangerous shortage of the powerful painkillers needed by patients in acute pain, according to doctors, pharmacists and a coalition of health groups.
The shortage, though more significant in some places than others, has left many hospitals and surgical centers scrambling to find enough injectable morphine, Dilaudid and fentanyl — drugs given to patients undergoing surgery, fighting cancer or suffering traumatic i...
Source: Suboxone Talk Zone - March 26, 2018 Category: Addiction Authors: Jeffrey Junig MD PhD Tags: Acute Pain Anesthesia Public policy surgery Chronic pain opioid addiction Source Type: blogs
The Other Opioid Crisis: Hospital Shortages Lead To Patient Pain, Medical Error
I came across this public-accesss story, and wanted to share the perspective:
Pauline Bartolone, Kaiser Health News
Even as opioids flood American communities and fuel widespread addiction, hospitals are facing a dangerous shortage of the powerful painkillers needed by patients in acute pain, according to doctors, pharmacists and a coalition of health groups.
The shortage, though more significant in some places than others, has left many hospitals and surgical centers scrambling to find enough injectable morphine, Dilaudid and fentanyl — drugs given to patients undergoing surgery, fighting cancer or suffering traumatic i...
Source: Suboxone Talk Zone - March 26, 2018 Category: Addiction Authors: admin Tags: Acute Pain Anesthesia Public policy surgery Chronic pain opioid addiction Source Type: blogs
The Other Opioid Crisis: Hospital Shortages Lead To Patient Pain, Medical Error
I came across this public-accesss story, and wanted to share the perspective:
Pauline Bartolone, Kaiser Health News
Even as opioids flood American communities and fuel widespread addiction, hospitals are facing a dangerous shortage of the powerful painkillers needed by patients in acute pain, according to doctors, pharmacists and a coalition of health groups.
The shortage, though more significant in some places than others, has left many hospitals and surgical centers scrambling to find enough injectable morphine, Dilaudid and fentanyl — drugs given to patients undergoing surgery, fighting cancer or suffering traumatic i...
Source: Suboxone Talk Zone - March 26, 2018 Category: Addiction Authors: admin Tags: Acute Pain Anesthesia Public policy surgery Chronic pain opioid addiction Source Type: blogs
I ’m a doctor but I didn’t mean to be a drug pusher
I never wanted to be a drug pusher. A career in medicine was the opposite — healing in place of harming. However, I knew something was wrong when a detective asked to speak to me about one of my patients. My patient, addicted to Vicodin, had committed several acts of fraud and theft in desperate attempt to satisfy her needs. Her arrest was the final step in a long, slow unraveling of a happy and productive life. I was not just a witness to this painful process; I was an active participant. As her primary care physician, I helped fuel her addiction and shared in the responsibility.
When the history of the opiate epidemic ...
Source: Kevin, M.D. - Medical Weblog - March 25, 2018 Category: General Medicine Authors: < a href="https://www.kevinmd.com/blog/post-author/kevin-haggerty" rel="tag" > Kevin Haggerty, MD < /a > Tags: Physician Pain Management Primary Care Source Type: blogs
Hospitalized Patients Are Civilian Casualties in the Government's War on Opioids
A recentstory by Pauline Bartolone in the Los Angeles Times draws attention to some under-reported civilian casualties in the government ’s war on opioids: hospitalized patients in severe pain, in need of painkillers. Hospitals across the country are facing shortages of injectable morphine, fentanyl, and Dilaudid (hydromorphone). As a result, trauma patients, post-surgical patients, and hospitalized cancer patients frequently go un dertreated for excruciating pain.Hospitals, including the ones in which I practice general surgery, are working hard to ameliorate the situation by asking medical staff to use prescription opi...
Source: Cato-at-liberty - March 18, 2018 Category: American Health Authors: Jeffrey A. Singer Source Type: blogs
5 things that can help you take a pass on kidney stones
If you’ve ever passed a kidney stone, you probably would not wish it on your worst enemy, and you’ll do anything to avoid it again. “Kidney stones are more common in men than in women, and in about half of people who have had one, kidney stones strike again within 10 to 15 years without preventive measures,” says Dr. Brian Eisner, co-director of the Kidney Stone Program at Harvard-affiliated Massachusetts General Hospital.
Where do kidney stones come from?
Kidney stones form develop when certain substances, such as calcium, oxalate, and uric acid, become concentrated enough to form crystals in your kidneys. The cry...
Source: Harvard Health Blog - March 8, 2018 Category: Consumer Health News Authors: Matthew Solan Tags: Health Kidney and urinary tract Source Type: blogs
