Articles: opioid.
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The erector spinae plane block (ESPB) is a relatively new regional anesthetic procedure that provides analgesia below the erector spinae muscles in an interfascial plane. The indications for its use continue to expand as we learn more about this block. ⋯ The erector spinae block is a safe and cost-effective intervention in refractory postherpetic neuralgia.
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More Americans died in 2021 from drug overdose than from vehicle accidents and firearms combined. Unlike earlier phases, the current epidemic is marked by its disproportionate impact on communities of color. This report investigates regional and substance-specific variations in racial disparities to generate possible insights into the various forces shaping these trends. ⋯ The opioid epidemic continues to expand, with particularly rapid acceleration in racially minoritized communities. The growing role of stimulants in opioid overdose deaths is a racialized phenomenon disproportionately impacting Black and Native Americans. Wide variation in state-level disparities suggest that structural racism impacts health in regionally specific ways, highlighting the need for regional solutions.
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Pediatric emergency care · Dec 2024
Connecticut Pediatric Opioid Poisoning Trends Surrounding the COVID-19 Pandemic.
Opioids are common substances involved in poisonings with increasing rates in fentanyl-related mortality since 2014. The COVID-19 pandemic compromised school attendance and supervision, which may have increased the risk of opioid ingestions in children. Our objective was to evaluate pediatric opioid poisonings in Connecticut before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. ⋯ Results of our study showed a rise in opioid poisonings among non-Hispanic Black and elementary school-aged children during the COVID-19 pandemic. Future prevention efforts may choose to further investigate and understand the trends in the more vulnerable groups.