Fentanyl: The dangers of this potent “man-made” opioid
As we watch the devastation of the opioid crisis escalate in a rising tide of deaths, a lesser known substance is frequently mentioned: fentanyl. Fentanyl’s relative obscurity was shattered with the...
View ArticleWords matter: The language of addiction and life-saving treatments
News articles, radio, and television frequently report on the current opioid crisis. As the death toll has mounted, the media has importantly covered many aspects of the crisis. Unfortunately, this...
View ArticleSaving lives by prescribing naloxone with opioid painkillers
Opioid drugs help relieve pain by sticking to opioid receptors in the body, which in turn, helps block “pain signals.” The umbrella term “opioids” includes prescription painkillers, such as hydrocodone...
View ArticleComparing medications to treat opioid use disorder
Using medications to treat opioid use disorder is a lifesaving cornerstone of treatment — much like insulin for type 1 diabetes. The flawed but widely held view that medications like methadone or...
View ArticleLofexidine: Another option for withdrawal from opioids, but is it better?
Recently the FDA approved a medication called lofexidine (Lucemyra) for the treatment of opioid withdrawal. Lofexidine is in a class of medications called alpha-2-adrenergic agonists, which act on the...
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