Articles: opioid.
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Preventive medicine · Dec 2021
Naloxone dispensing among the commercially insured population in the United States from 2015 to 2018.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC) Guideline for Prescribing Opioids for Chronic Pain recommends that providers consider co-prescribing naloxone when factors that increase the risk of overdose are present. Naloxone is an opioid receptor antagonist that counteracts the effects of an opioid overdose. This paper explores trends in naloxone dispensing and out-of-pocket costs among commercially insured individuals in the United States. ⋯ Despite increases in naloxone dispensing from 2015 to 2018, the provision of naloxone to the commercially insured population remains low. Opportunities remain to increase the supply of naloxone to at-risk populations. Considering ways to reduce out-of-pocket costs associated with naloxone may be a potential strategy to increase access to this life-saving drug.
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Observational Study
Do acupuncture services reduce subsequent utilization of opioids and surgical interventions compared to noninvasive therapies among patients with pain conditions?
To compare prescribed opioid use and invasive surgical interventions between patients using acupuncture and those using non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs)/physical therapy (PT). ⋯ Acupuncture showed a modest effect in reducing opioid use and ED visits. More research on acupuncture's place in emergency care, pain relief, and comparison to other types of non-opioid treatment is needed.