Heroin and Opioids

Although many have been describing the new street drug W-18 as an opioid, and although illegal drug manufacturers have been using it as a fentanyl substitute, recent news suggests that it is most likely not an opioid. What Is W-18? W-18 was originally found in drug products in Sweden in 2014 and later in Canada…

Women are more likely to have chronic pain, receive a prescription for opioids, and stay on higher doses of opioids for longer periods than men. As Two Dreams founder and CEO Andrea Barthwell, MD, DFASAM points out, “there are real biological differences in the way in which we handle these chemicals.” To learn more, click…

In a perfect world, doctors would be able to identify patients who are prone to opioid addiction and prescribe them non-opioid painkillers that wouldn’t lead to dependence. For years, researchers have been trying to advance care to this point by looking for genes that contribute to addiction. There are currently a number of potential candidates,…

A recent study published in JAMA Pediatrics looked at the changing frequency of buprenorphine or naltrexone prescription in youth between the ages of 13 and 25 years. Researchers found that the drugs were prescribed more in 2014 than in 2001, but that still only 25% of individuals received buprenorphine or naltrexone, and certain populations, including…

Researchers in England and Wales have correlating the rising number of opioid overdose deaths with a recent increase in pregabalin and gabapentin prescriptions. If you are struggling with opioid use disorder, please call us today at 504-510-2331.   Read more about the correlative study here: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2017/05/170511113513.htm

A study published in JAMA examined the changes in heroin use disorder patterns from 2001-2002 to 2012-2013 and found that use grew significantly higher over time with the greatest increases shown among white individuals. In addition, researchers found that the nonmedical use of prescription opioids before heroin use only increased among white users. If you…

Neonatal abstinence syndrome is on the rise. Since 1999, its incidence has tripled in 28 states (from 1.5 to 6 cases per 1,000 live births per year), with the worst rates being in West Virginia, Vermont, and Maine (about 30 case per 1,000 live births). This syndrome begins in infants soon after they lose access…

A recent study published in Addiction journal indicates that having a substance use disorder significantly increases the risk of suicide in veterans, twice the risk for men and up to five times the risk for women. These findings suggest that a more robust suicide prevention plan should be implemented in veterans struggling with drug use.…

A new study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) suggests that giving buprenorphine to opioid dependent patients in the emergency room may increase the likelihood of the individual seeking follow-up addiction treatment and achieving abstinence down the line. This research is consistent with other recent studies arguing that immediate initiation of…

Every day, in towns all across the nation, Americans are dying from drug overdoses. Recent numbers released from the CDC tell us that 78 people in America die each day from painkiller overdoses alone; this is the most significant cause of preventable deaths in the United States. This problem impacts our national spending as well;…