The death of actor Philip Seymour Hoffman last week prompted a slew of articles about the related problems of prescription opioid abuse and heroin addiction. In the Washington Post, Joel Achenbach points out that despite the recent spike in deaths from heroin overdose, recent data indicated that “[p]rescription opioids are killing Americans at more than five times the rate that heroin is.” Achenbach also notes that use of heroin is increasing as individuals addicted to opioid pain relievers turn to the cheaper and more available street drug.  CBCNews reported on a similar trend in Canada (clip above). In a New York Times op-ed piece, medical toxicologist Robert S. Hoffman argues that increased access to injectable or intranasal naloxone could prevent many opiate death…

 
The death of actor Philip Seymour Hoffman last week prompted a slew of articles about the related problems of prescription opioid abuse and heroin addiction. In the Washington Post, Joel Achenbach points out that despite the recent spike in deaths from heroin overdose, recent data indicated that “[p]rescription opioids are killing Americans at more than five times the rate that heroin is.” Achenbach also notes that use of heroin is increasing as individuals addicted to opioid pain relievers turn to the cheaper and more available street drug.  CBCNews reported on a similar trend in Canada (clip above). In a New York Times op-ed piece, medical toxicologist Robert S. Hoffman argues that increased access to injectable or intranasal naloxone could prevent many opiate death…

CONCLUSIONS: The findings highlight the relative adaptability of public sector office-based buprenorphine treatment during and after a significant natural disaster. Only minimal increases in self-reported substance use were reported despite many disruptions to regular buprenorphine supplies and previous daily doses. Informal supplies of substitute buprenorphine from family and friends was common. Remote telephone refill support and a temporary back-up location that provided written prescription refills and medication dispensing for uninsured patients enabled some patients to maintain an adequate medication supply. Such adaptive strategies to ensure medication maintenance continuity pre/post natural disasters likely minimize poor treatment outcomes.
PMID: 24467734 [PubMed – as supplied …

CONCLUSIONS: The findings highlight the relative adaptability of public sector office-based buprenorphine treatment during and after a significant natural disaster. Only minimal increases in self-reported substance use were reported despite many disruptions to regular buprenorphine supplies and previous daily doses. Informal supplies of substitute buprenorphine from family and friends was common. Remote telephone refill support and a temporary back-up location that provided written prescription refills and medication dispensing for uninsured patients enabled some patients to maintain an adequate medication supply. Such adaptive strategies to ensure medication maintenance continuity pre/post natural disasters likely minimize poor treatment outcomes.
PMID: 24467734 [PubMed – as supplied …

Houston Pain management is now offering outpatient drug rehab treatment with a licensed, Board Certified Suboxone provider. Suboxone has been a revolutionary treatment for drug addiction treatment,…(PRWeb January 15, 2014)Read the full story at http://www.prweb.com/releases/drugrehabhouston/drugaddictiontreatment/prweb11482957.htm (Source: PRWeb: Medical Pharmaceuticals)

Houston Pain management is now offering outpatient drug rehab treatment with a licensed, Board Certified Suboxone provider. Suboxone has been a revolutionary treatment for drug addiction treatment,…(PRWeb January 15, 2014)Read the full story at http://www.prweb.com/releases/drugrehabhouston/drugaddictiontreatment/prweb11482957.htm (Source: PRWeb: Medical Pharmaceuticals)

CONCLUSIONS: HCV infection was associated with higher plasma concentrations of buprenorphine and buprenorphine metabolites.
SCIENTIFIC SIGNIFICANCE AND FUTURE DIRECTIONS: Findings suggest the potential for opioid toxicity among HCV-infected patients treated with buprenorphine/naloxone, and possible hepatotoxic effects related to increased buprenorphine exposure. HCV-infected patients receiving buprenorphine may need lower doses to maintain therapeutic plasma concentrations. (Am J Addict 2014;23:34-40).
PMID: 24313239 [PubMed – in process] (Source: American Journal on Addictions)

CONCLUSIONS: HCV infection was associated with higher plasma concentrations of buprenorphine and buprenorphine metabolites.
SCIENTIFIC SIGNIFICANCE AND FUTURE DIRECTIONS: Findings suggest the potential for opioid toxicity among HCV-infected patients treated with buprenorphine/naloxone, and possible hepatotoxic effects related to increased buprenorphine exposure. HCV-infected patients receiving buprenorphine may need lower doses to maintain therapeutic plasma concentrations. (Am J Addict 2014;23:34-40).
PMID: 24313239 [PubMed – in process] (Source: American Journal on Addictions)

By Amy Orciari Herman
Buprenorphine (Suboxone, Subutex), once hailed as a “holy grail” in addiction medicine, “has become both medication and dope: a treatment with considerable successes and also failures, as well as a street and prison drug bedeviling local authorities,” … (Source: Physician’s First Watch current issue)

By Amy Orciari Herman
Buprenorphine (Suboxone, Subutex), once hailed as a “holy grail” in addiction medicine, “has become both medication and dope: a treatment with considerable successes and also failures, as well as a street and prison drug bedeviling local authorities,” … (Source: Physician’s First Watch current issue)