TUESDAY, May 17, 2022 (HealthDay News) — With the United States going through an epidemic of drug overdoses, researchers are growing a wearable patch that may detect an oncoming opioid OD and ship doses of a drug that would save lives.

The Indiana University Bloomington analysis crew has obtained a three-year, $3.8 million grant from the U.S. National Institute on Drug Abuse to develop the patch, which mixes two separate cutting-edge applied sciences, mentioned co-developer Dr. Ken Mackie, chair of the college’s Center for Biomolecular Science.

The patch — roughly the scale of a nicotine patch — would comprise sensors that monitor the wearer’s pulse, blood stress and blood oxygen ranges, Mackie mentioned. Opioid overdoses happen when narcotics trigger respiration to gradual or cease.

“The concept is that the patch will likely be sensing all these variables repeatedly,” Mackie mentioned. “Then, by means of an AI [artificial intelligence] coaching algorithm, what we would just like the patch to have the ability to do is to detect kind of an imminent opioid overdose earlier than blood oxygen saturation drops to dangerously low ranges.”

At that time, the second set of applied sciences would kick in — lots of of microneedles lining the within of the patch stuffed with the OD-reversing drug naloxone.

Sound waves would press the needles into the pores and skin, delivering the rescue drug, mentioned co-developer Feng Guo, a bioengineer and assistant professor of clever methods engineering on the college’s Luddy School of Informatics, Computing and Engineering.

“It then continues to observe and see if issues enhance,” Mackie mentioned. “If the sensor means that an individual is constant this kind of spiral downwards into overdose, it will ship one other dose of naloxone.”

The patch may save sufferers legitimately prescribed opioid painkillers in addition to drug abusers, the researchers mentioned.

The system’s steady monitoring would additionally head off an issue that is been recognized with naloxone remedy, Mackie mentioned — the chance that an overdose will outlast the consequences of the reversal drug.

“The affected person begins respiration once more after which half-hour later, the naloxone has diminished away however narcotic ranges are nonetheless elevated, in order that they go and develop respiratory despair once more,” Mackie mentioned. “The good factor is the patch continues to observe for that and might deal with once more if that is the issue.”

The Partnership to End Addiction mentioned that such a patch can be a “lifesaving device” within the opioid disaster that continues to ravage the United States.

Last week, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported that drug OD deaths reached an all-time excessive in 2021. An estimated 107,622 folks died from overdoses that yr, a rise of almost 15% from the 93,655 deaths estimated in 2020.

“Its computerized detection of respiratory despair and administration of naloxone is important, because it doubtlessly eliminates the necessity to have one other individual current geared up with naloxone who is aware of what to do,” mentioned Pat Aussem, affiliate vp of shopper scientific content material growth on the Partnership to End Addiction.

Guo has tried the patch on himself, and mentioned there’s only a slight sensation when the needles press into the pores and skin.

Mackie and Guo mentioned they hope to have the patch prepared for human trials by the tip of their three-year grant.

They see the patches initially serving to individuals who have been prescribed opioids and are in danger for overdose as a result of they’re altering dosages or drugs, Mackie mentioned. People can be handed a provide of patches to put on day by day.

“That can be the inhabitants that we’re aiming at in the course of the preliminary rollout as a result of it is a comparatively uniform inhabitants that is comparatively engaged within the well being care system,” Mackie mentioned.

Later, use may develop to folks utilizing illicit narcotics, presumably by means of remedy or hurt discount packages, Mackie mentioned.

For instance, opioid addicts who’ve gone to jail usually are at greater danger for OD after their launch, and can be a pure group to obtain the patch, he famous.

“They’re incarcerated they usually’re primarily forcibly withdrawn from their drug,” Mackie mentioned. “Then they’re launched and since they have been withdrawn, they’ve misplaced their tolerance to opioids. They go they usually use the dose they used earlier than they usually overdose and die.”

Some would possibly suppose that the patch would encourage drug use by defending in opposition to OD, however Aussem says that is not the case.

“The National Survey on Drug Use and Health discovered no proof that folks with higher entry to naloxone thought drug use was safer,” Aussem mentioned.

“People who oppose instruments just like the patch could not notice that there are waitlists for remedy, unethical remedy suppliers, packages that don’t supply drugs that may assist, insurance coverage gaps, lack of transportation and stigma that may make entry to remedy troublesome or ineffective,” she defined.

“Against this backdrop of challenges, considered one of our mum or dad coaches who has had the heartbreaking expertise of dropping her son to an overdose is a vocal advocate of naloxone and fentanyl take a look at strips,” Aussem continued. “She mentioned, ‘You can not help them if they’re useless,’ noting that they deserve the care that we would offer to any individual with a life-threatening medical drawback.”

Although it is being developed for overdose prevention, the patch additionally may very well be used to assist deal with different circumstances the place a well-timed dose of medicine may forestall hurt and doubtlessly save lives, Mackie mentioned.

The patch may very well be programmed to observe blood sugar ranges and ship insulin to diabetics, or to search for indicators of anaphylactic shock and ship a dose of epinephrine, the researchers mentioned.

“The methodology is probably relevant to a variety of different illness conditions the place you wish to monitor physiological parameters and provides doses of drug in a graded style,” Mackie mentioned. “The patch means that you can tailor doses fastidiously.”

More data

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has extra about drug OD deaths within the United States.

SOURCES: Ken Mackie, MD, chair, Indiana University Center for Biomolecular Science, Bloomington; Feng Guo, PhD, bioengineer and assistant professor, clever methods engineering, Indiana University Luddy School of Informatics, Computing and Engineering, Bloomington; Pat Aussem, affiliate vp, shopper scientific content material, growth, Partnership to End Addiction

The post Patch to Warn of Drug Overdose in Development appeared first on Healthy and Slim Life.

MONDAY, March 14, 2022 (HealthDay News) — Taken appropriately, prescribed drugs used to deal with attention-deficit/hyperactivity dysfunction (ADHD) may also help teenagers and younger adults navigate their situation, however a brand new examine finds many are dying from overdosing on these medicines.

In 2019, benzodiazepines like Xanax and stimulants like Adderall accounted for greater than 700 and 900 overdose deaths, respectively, within the United States, in accordance with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

“In latest years, there was appreciable consideration dedicated to dangers of habit related to diverted or illicitly obtained benzodiazepines and stimulants,” stated senior researcher Dr. Mark Olfson. He is a professor of psychiatry, drugs and legislation at Columbia University Irving Medical Center in New York City.

“The new examine serves as a reminder that prescription benzodiazepines and stimulants additionally pose overdose dangers to the sufferers who’re prescribed them,” Olfson stated.

Sadly, most of the overdose deaths amongst teenagers and younger adults who had prescriptions for these medication are intentional suicides, he added.

The upshot of the discovering? Doctors and fogeys must be cautious about prescribing and having their children take these medication.

“Prior to prescribing benzodiazepines or stimulants to younger folks, physicians ought to assess the affected person’s self-injury threat and think about different therapy choices for youth who’ve substantial threat,” Olfson suggested.

“Parents even have an vital position in stopping suicidal conduct of their adolescent and younger grownup kids, particularly if the younger particular person goes via a aggravating interval,” he added. “This can contain dad and mom paying attention to modifications within the youth’s conduct, listening to them, being supportive moderately than intrusive, taking suicidal threats critically, and serving to them to find skilled assist if essential.”

For the examine, Olfson and his colleagues collected information on privately insured youths aged 15 to 24 who had been seen in emergency rooms for overdosing on benzodiazepines or stimulants from 2016 via 2018. The investigators then recognized who amongst these sufferers had a health care provider’s prescription for these medication.

The researchers discovered that 29% of the overdose deaths from benzodiazepines had been amongst youths who had a health care provider’s prescription for the drug within the month earlier than overdosing, as did 25% of those that died from an overdose of a stimulant.

Among those that overdosed on benzodiazepines, 42% had been given a prescription within the final six months, as did 39% of those that died from an overdose of a stimulant, the findings confirmed.

The researchers additionally discovered that those that deliberately overdosed on benzodiazepines and stimulants had been extra prone to have latest prescriptions for these medication than these whose overdose was unintentional.

The findings had been revealed on-line March 2 within the journal Pediatrics.

Pat Aussem is vp for shopper medical content material growth on the Partnership to End Addiction in New York City. She stated, “This has been the deadliest 12 months on file, as we have skilled over 100,000 overdose deaths in our nation — the best it is ever been. Teens and younger adults have not been spared. Overdose deaths for 15- to 24-year-olds elevated between 2019 and 2020 by virtually 50%, and the speed of drug overdose deaths has been steadily growing.”

Having psychological well being issues is among the key threat components for an overdose in younger folks, Aussem stated.

“Feelings of loneliness, isolation and nervousness fueled by the pandemic have seemingly contributed to a way of hopelessness for a lot of,” she added. “Consuming alcohol and different medication, in addition to misusing prescription and over-the-counter medicines, could be a strategy to cope or self-medicate.”

Doctors want to coach dad and mom and sufferers on not solely what the treatment is used for and directions for taking it, but additionally the misuse and overdose potential, in addition to the dangers of mixing it with different substances like alcohol or opioids, Aussem suggested.

“Counseling along with treatment could assist to encourage more healthy methods of considering and behaviors. Taking the time to actually perceive how the affected person is doing in follow-up visits is vital, as effectively,” she stated.

Also, the United States continues to be flooded with counterfeit capsules that seem like Xanax and Adderall, along with ache capsules like Vicodin and Percocet, Aussem stated.

“The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration stories that two out of each 5 capsules they’ve seized comprise a probably deadly dose of fentanyl,” she stated.

“Health care suppliers can educate younger folks on the dangers of getting capsules from a buddy or off the road as a substitute of or along with a reliable pharmacy,” Aussem added.

“It’s vital for folks and different caregivers to watch signs and report any important modifications to the prescriber,” she harassed.

More info

For extra on psychological well being and medicines, head to the Partnership to End Addiction.

SOURCES: Mark Olfson, MD, MPH, professor, psychiatry, drugs and legislation, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York City; Pat Aussem, LPC, vp, shopper medical content material growth, Partnership to End Addiction, New York City; Pediatrics, March 2, 2022, on-line

The post Many Teens Overdose on Meds Prescribed for ADHD, Anxiety appeared first on Healthy and Slim Life.

Jan. 27, 2022 — It’s no secret {that a} specific public well being epidemic has solely gotten worse through the COVID-19 pandemic: drug overdose deaths. From May 2020 to April 2021, greater than 100,000 folks within the U.S. died from a drug overdose, in response to the CDC. About 64% of these deaths have been from opioids, largely fentanyl.

To cut back these deaths, researchers from the University of Washington have developed a brand new wearable gadget that may inform when an individual is overdosing from opioids.

It’s potential to reverse an opioid overdose with the drug naloxone, however it must be given as quickly as somebody exhibits indicators of an overdose or stops respiration. If an individual is having an overdose alone, or if nobody close by has a naloxone dose or the coaching to manage it, that particular person’s chance of dying is way larger. This prompted the researchers to develop an auto-injector system that folks with opioid use dysfunction can put on towards their stomach. The new gadget works so much like an insulin pump.

It has sensors to detect respiration patterns and is programmed to acknowledge the indicators of slowed or stopped respiration and motion. If the sensors detect life-threatening respiration signs that imply an overdose, it triggers a shot of naloxone. The researchers examined the gadget in volunteers in two environments and revealed their findings within the journal Scientific Reports in November.

One of the check websites was a supervised injection clinic in Vancouver, Canada, the place folks with dependancy can use IV medicine with a educated medical skilled current. Twenty-five volunteers wore the gadget to make sure it precisely measured their respiration patterns whereas utilizing opioids, however the units weren’t programmed to ship the naloxone.

The different website was a hospital the place 20 volunteers who didn’t take opioids wore the units and held their breath for 15 seconds to imitate the symptom of stopping respiration. During this check, the units did inject a naloxone dose after they sensed that the particular person had not moved for not less than 15 seconds.

Naloxone attaches to opioid receptors and reverses and blocks the results of different opioids if they’ve been consumed. After the pictures, the members had their blood taken to ensure the small dose of drug entered their bloodstream.

The new research exhibits that the gadget acts because it ought to and delivers the fitting dose into an individual’s circulatory system. That mentioned, extra research is required earlier than the researchers can apply for approval from the FDA. Also, along with extra exams on the units’ security and effectiveness, the researchers must understand how comfy the units are to put on and whether or not they’re hidden sufficient from view that folks with an opioid dependancy could be prepared to put on them.

The post New Wearable Device Could Help Prevent Overdose Deaths appeared first on Healthy and Slim Life.

WEDNESDAY, Dec. 1, 2021 (HealthDay News) — The United States’ first overdose prevention facilities have opened in New York City within the Manhattan neighborhoods of East Harlem and Washington Heights.

People will have the ability to deliver their medication and use them underneath the supervision of skilled employees members who will present clear needles, stop overdoses and supply connections to dependancy providers to those that have an interest, metropolis officers stated.

Cities and states nationwide have pushed for overdose prevention websites in recent times because the nation’s opioid epidemic has worsened.

“If you consider a public well being response to a disaster and also you wish to triage individuals to cease it, that is one intervention more than likely to do this,” Caleb Banta-Green, principal analysis scientist on the University of Washington’s Addictions, Drug and Alcohol Institute, informed NBC News. “They’re doing it in a lot of the world, so we’re actually sort of late to the sport.”

Critics argue that such websites would create areas that encourage drug use, however Banta-Green stated they cease individuals from utilizing medication alone, one thing that significantly will increase the chance of a deadly overdose. Similar packages already in use in Australia, Europe and Canada have already made a dent in fatalities: According to NBC News, overdose prevention websites in Vancouver minimize the speed of deadly overdoses there by 35%.

There have been greater than 90,000 overdose deaths within the United States in 2020, in accordance with the U.S.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. More than 2,000 of these have been in New York City, in accordance with an official assertion saying the brand new facilities.

“The national overdose epidemic is a five-alarm fire in public health, and we have to tackle this crisis concurrently with our COVID fight,” New York City Health Commissioner Dr. Dave Chokshi stated within the assertion. “Giving individuals a protected, supportive house will save lives and convey individuals in from the streets, enhancing life for everybody concerned. Overdose prevention facilities are a key a part of broader hurt discount.”

More info

Visit the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for extra on opioids.

SOURCE: NBC News

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By Robert Preidt and Robin Foster
HealthDay Reporter

THURSDAY, Oct. 14, 2021 (HealthDay News) — Drug overdose deaths within the United States hit a brand new file for the 12-month interval ending March 2021, new authorities information reveals.

A file excessive 96,779 drug overdose deaths occurred between March 2020 and March 2021, representing a 29.6% rise, new statistics from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s National Center for Health Statistics discovered. The numbers are provisional, and the CDC’s estimate for predicted deaths totals greater than 99,000 from March 2020 to March 2021, CNN reported.

“It is necessary to do not forget that behind these devastating numbers are households, associates, and neighborhood members who’re grieving the lack of family members,” Regina LaBelle, performing director of the Executive Office of the President Office of National Drug Control Policy, stated in an announcement, CNN reported

The state with the most important enhance in overdose deaths (85.1%) throughout that point was Vermont. Opioids accounted for the very best variety of overdose deaths, adopted by artificial opioids, excluding methadone, which was linked to the bottom variety of overdose deaths.

Three states noticed their variety of overdose deaths decline from March 2020 to March 2021: New Hampshire, New Jersey and South Dakota. South Dakota’s reported overdose deaths declined by 16.3%, the very best of any state.

Between March 2020 and March 2021, the COVID-19 pandemic took maintain within the United States and disrupted regular every day routines, CNN famous.

The CDC information additionally present a 29.7% enhance in drug overdose deaths between February 2020 and February 2021.

Earlier this yr, the CDC stated the greater than 93,000 drug overdose deaths already reported in 2020 was practically 30% greater than the quantity noticed in 2019, and the most important single-year enhance ever within the United States, CNN reported.

At the time, National Institute on Drug Abuse Director Dr. Nora Volkow referred to as the determine “chilling” and stated the COVID-19 pandemic has “created a devastating collision of well being crises in America.”

More info

Visit the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for extra on drug overdose deaths.

SOURCE: CNN

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