Drugs

Long-term opioid use associated with increased risk of depression

Date: January 12, 2016 Source: Saint Louis University Summary: Opioids may cause short-term improvement in mood, but long-term use imposes risk of new-onset depression, a new study shows. The link was independent of the known contribution of pain to depression, and the study calls on clinicians to consider the contribution of opioid use when depressed […]

Antidepressant Use Linked to Increased Brain Bleed Risk

Nancy A. Melville January 12, 2016 Use of antidepressants is linked to an increased risk for the development of first-time cerebral microbleeds, results of a longitudinal study show. “In this population-based study, we found that antidepressant use was associated with an increased risk of incident first-ever microbleeds after 4 years of follow-up,” the authors, led […]

Turmeric Treats Arthritis Knee Pain Better Than Ibuprofen

By DailyHealthPost January 12, 2016 The healing powers of turmeric are impressive. Many studies have already demonstrated how the spice can help fight fatty liver disease, weight loss and even cancer. In many cases, turmeric can help heal diseases better than pharmaceutical drugs, such as prozac. A report in the journal Health Services Research found that […]

Many Women Overtreated With Osteoporosis Medication

Tara Haelle January 06, 2016 Two thirds of women receiving medication for osteoporosis potentially did not need treatment, according to a retrospective cohort study published online January 4 in JAMA Internal Medicine. In fact, half of these women with possibly inappropriate prescriptions were younger and without risk factors that would have indicated screening, found Joshua […]

Cannabis for the Management of Pain

December 09, 2015 The Journal of Pain: Official journal of the American Pain Society TAKE-HOME MESSAGE A cohort of 215 current or previous users of medical cannabis with non-cancer pain were dispensed an herbal cannabis product and were then matched with 216 controls with chronic pain but not using cannabis. After 1-year follow-up with a […]

Serious Neurologic Events after Epidural Glucocorticoid Injection — The FDA’s Risk Assessment

Judith A. Racoosin, M.D., M.P.H, Sally M. Seymour, M.D., Laurelle Cascio, Pharm.D., and Rajdeep Gill, Pharm.D. N Engl J Med 2015; 373:2299-2301December 10, 2015DOI: 10.1056/NEJMp1511754 At times, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) must grapple with safety concerns related to off-label uses of FDA-approved medications. Over the past several years, we have sought to understand […]

Hyaluronic Acid Injections for Trigger Finger

Ultrasound-Guided Hyaluronic Acid Injections for Trigger Finger: A Double-Blinded, Randomized Controlled Trial Ding-Hao Liu, MD PM&R December 2015 olume 96, Issue 12, Pages 2120–2127 Abstract Objectives To investigate the effects of ultrasound-guided injections of hyaluronic acid (HA) versus steroid for trigger fingers in adults. Design Prospective, double-blinded, randomized controlled study. Setting Tertiary care center. Participants […]

Study: Opioids, Muscle Relaxants Ineffective for Acute Low Back Pain

DECEMBER 04, 2015 Prescribing opioids and muscle relaxants to acute low back pain (LBP) patients who are already on nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) does not provide additional pain relief, a new study suggests. There are more than 2.5 million acute LBP-related visits to emergency departments in the United States annually, where patients are often treated […]

Aromatase Inhibitor Use Linked to Carpal Tunnel

– Estrogen deprivation may be a factor by Pam Harrison, Contributing Writer November 30, 2015 Patients receiving the aromatase inhibitor (AI) anastrozole had a higher incidence of carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) compared with controls, an exploratory analysis has found, although few patients overall required surgical intervention to resolve it. A total of 96 participants in the International Breast […]

White matter damage caused by ‘skunk-like’ cannabis, study shows

Date: November 27, 2015 Source: King’s College London Summary: Smoking high potency ‘skunk-like’ cannabis can damage a crucial part of the brain responsible for communication between the two brain hemispheres, according to a new study. Smoking high potency ‘skunk-like’ cannabis can damage a crucial part of the brain responsible for communication between the two brain […]

Chronic Opioid Therapy After Lumbar Fusion Surgery for Degenerative Disc Disease in a Workers’ Compensation Setting

Spine: November 2015 – Volume 40 – Issue 22 – p 1775–1784 Anderson, Joshua T. BS Abstract Study Design. Retrospective cohort study. Objective. To evaluate prescription opioid use after lumbar fusion for degenerative disc disease in a workers’ compensation (WC) setting. Summary of Background Data. Use of opioids for treating chronic low back pain has […]

Steroid Shots No Long-Term Help in Knee OA

11.13.2015 No effects on structural progression in 2-year randomized study by Nancy Walsh Senior Staff Writer, MedPage Today SAN FRANCISCO — Intra-articular steroid injections are not effective over the long term for preventing structural damage in knee osteoarthritis, a 2-year randomized trial found. In the study, which was funded by the National Institutes of Health, […]

Proton-Pump Inhibitors May Boost Death Risk in Inpatients

Marcia Frellick November 12, 2015 Proton-pump inhibitors are commonly used in hospitals to prevent gastrointestinal (GI) bleeding, but may increase the risk of dying both for those who start use in the hospital and for those have used them before admission and continue use in the hospital, new data show. Matt Pappas, MD, MPH, from […]

Ozone gas injections may do the trick for knee osteoarthritis sufferers

Date: November 8, 2015 Source: American College of Rheumatology (ACR) Summary: Injecting ozone gas into the knee reduces pain and improves functioning and quality of life in people with knee osteoarthritis, according to new research. Injecting ozone gas into the knee reduces pain and improves functioning and quality of life in people with knee osteoarthritis, […]

Naproxen With Cyclobenzaprine or Oxycodone/Acetaminophen for Acute Low-Back Pain

October 28, 2015 JAMA : The Journal of the American Medical Association TAKE-HOME MESSAGE Patients with acute non-traumatic, non-radicular low-back pain for In patients presenting to the emergency department with acute low-back pain, the addition of cyclobenzaprine or oxycodone/acetaminophen to naproxen had no clinical benefit over naproxen alone. Primary Care Written by David Rakel MD, […]

Acid reflux medications may increase kidney disease risk

Date:  October 27, 2015 Source: American Society of Nephrology (ASN) Summary:  Certain medications commonly used to treat heartburn and acid reflux may have damaging effects on the kidneys, according to two new studies. The drugs, proton pump inhibitors (PPIs), are among the top 10 class of prescribed medications in the United States. Certain medications commonly […]

Too many antibiotics may be making kids fatter

CBS NEWS October 22, 2015, 1:54 PM By ASHLEY WELCH Antibiotics are life-saving medicine, but their overuse has been linked to a number of health concerns, not least of which include antibiotic-resistant superbugs that kill thousands of people each year. Now, new research adds to growing evidence that over-exposure to antibiotics contributes to another problem: weight […]

Opioid Prescriptions Common With Fibromyalgia

Patients taking opioids are less likely to subsequently receive guideline-recommended therapy TUESDAY, Oct. 20, 2015 (HealthDay News) — Opioid use is widespread among patients with newly diagnosed fibromyalgia, and patients taking opioids have a decreased likelihood of receiving guideline-recommended medications, according to a study published online Oct. 7 in Pain Practice. Rachel Halpern, Ph.D., M.P.H., […]

Study: Short-Term NSAID Use Significantly Inhibits Ovulation

Clinical Pain Medicine ISSUE: OCTOBER 2015 | VOLUME: 13(10) Short-term use of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) negatively affected fertility in normally cycling women, in a new study. Researchers observed a dramatic decrease in progesterone, a hormone essential for ovulation, after only 10 days of treatment. “This study confirms that the administration of diclofenac, naproxen and […]

Naproxen With Cyclobenzaprine, Oxycodone/Acetaminophen, or Placebo for Treating Acute Low Back Pain

A Randomized Clinical Trial October 20, 2015 Benjamin W. Friedman, MD, MS Importance Low back pain (LBP) is responsible for more than 2.5 million visits to US emergency departments (EDs) annually. These patients are usually treated with nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, acetaminophen, opioids, or skeletal muscle relaxants, often in combination. Objective To compare functional outcomes and […]