Patients who received a first prescription for medicinal cannabis for chronic pain were more likely to have new onset of arrhythmia — bradyarrhythmia, tachyarrhythmia, or a conduction disorder — within 6 months than were similar nonusers, in a new case-control study. There were no between-group differences in the incidence of heart failure or acute coronary … Read more
Discontinuing Stable, Long-TERM OPIOIID Therapy May Not BE NECESAY FOR PATIENTS who show no Signs of Misuse ― and IT COUL Even Be Safer Than Tapering Or Aburt Discontinism, New Research Suggests. Investigators Analyzed Data for Almost 200,000 Patients who did not have signs of OPIOOID USE DISEORDER (Oud) and Were Receiving Opioid Treatment. The … Read more
Patients with a history of depression who are also being treated with opioid analgesics have a lower risk for overdose and self-harm after taking antidepressants, new research suggests. Investigators analyzed insurance claims for more than 200,000 adults with a history of depression. Of these, 8200 experienced adverse events (AEs) during the year after initiation of … Read more
Taking up gardening is linked to improved mood and decreased stress, new research suggests. The results of the small pilot study add to the growing body of evidence supporting the therapeutic value of gardening, study investigator Charles Guy, PhD, professor emeritus, University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, in Gainesville, told Medscape Medical … Read more
Medicare’s 2023 draft physician fee schedule (PFS) proposes changes in policies for telehealth, opioid use disorder treatment, and dental services, as well as a plan for the limited use of fee-for-service funds to address social needs. In addition, the draft rule would expand opioid treatment and recovery services, including a bid for wider use of … Read more
In 2020 nearly 3 million people in the United States sought out medical cannabis, in marijuana or other forms, more than four times the number who did so in 2016, a new study has found. Much of the increase involved people seeking medical cannabis for chronic pain, which remains the leading reason Americans say they … Read more
Cannabis-based products may control chronic pain as effectively as opioids, but adverse effects are common, and long-term safety remains unknown, according to a new study. Several other systematic reviews have recently evaluated cannabinoids for treating chronic pain, but the new study’s methodology was “distinct” in “important ways,” leading to “conclusions that differ from other reviews,” … Read more
The covered study in this summary was published in researchsquare.com and has not yet been peer reviewed. Key Takeaways The study found a high burden of chronic pain in Syrian adults refugees in Norway that has adverse consequences towards their daily workers. Anxiety, depression, and PTSD are associated with higher levels of chronic pain in … Read more
What is the role of cannabinoids as an intoxicant and in medical applications today? This was the question addressed by Dieter Braus, MD, psychiatrist and neurologist at Vitos Clinic Rheingau in Eltville, Germany, at the DGIM Congress 2022. Dampening the Dopamine System Regardless of the type of substance-dependent addiction — whether alcohol, opiates, nicotine, or … Read more
Juvenile fibromyalgia is associated with reduced volume in one region of the brain, according to a recent study. The findings were similar to those in patients with adult fibromyalgia, which suggest the importance of early diagnosis and treatment. The study was published online January 25 in Arthritis and Rheumatology. Adolescent Brain Development Juvenile fibromyalgia is … Read more