Category: Drugs
Considering taking a weight-loss drug like Ozempic? Here are some potential risks and benefits
As they’ve grown in popularity, we’ve also heard more about the potential side effects – from common gastrointestinal discomforts, to more serious mental health concerns.
King County launches ‘bup’ hotline.
Buprenorphine, also called suboxone, is a medication used to treat opioid use disorder. It is one of the best available treatments to alleviate withdrawal, reduce cravings, and reduce overdose risk by about half when taken as directed. It works by binding to the same receptors that opioids like fentanyl bind to, but it only turns them on about halfway. That keeps people from feeling sick and helps with their cravings.
Cardiovascular risks and COVID-19: New research confirms the benefits of vaccination
A new study found that common cardiovascular complications of COVID-19 were substantially reduced in people who were vaccinated, with protective effects lasting up to a year after vaccination.
Opill, the first over-the-counter birth control pill, will be on shelves soon − here are some key things to know
Within weeks, for the first time in the U.S. consumers will be able to find a birth control pill on retail shelves.
Some Medicines and Driving Don’t Mix
Although many medicines will not affect your ability to drive, some nonprescription and prescription medications can have side effects that may make it unsafe to drive or operate other heavy machinery.
Oregon’s Drug Decriminalization Aimed to Make Cops a Gateway to Rehab, Not Jail. State Leaders Failed to Make It Work.
Ballot Measure 110, approved by voters in 2020, created a new role for law enforcement in Oregon. While there’s evidence people living with addiction in the state are increasingly finding their way into treatment, the failure to turn police encounters into successful on-ramps to rehab has been cited by critics as prime evidence the measure isn’t working. Oregon lawmakers, noting an ongoing rise in overdose deaths, are now looking to restore jail time for drug possession.
But Oregon’s political leaders themselves played central roles in failing to deliver on the potential for law enforcement to connect people with lifesaving services under the new measure, documents and interviews with a wide array of people involved in the system indicate.
What the FDA Does Approve and What It Doesn’t
Is It Really “FDA Approved”? Maybe you’ve seen these words on a company’s website or in a commercial promoting a product or treatment. Here are some facts about products that are, and aren’t, FDA approved.
There’s a new pill for postpartum depression, but many at-risk women face hurdles
Suicide and overdoses are among the leading causes of maternal death in the U.S.
As Zepbound dominates headlines as a new obesity-fighting drug, a nutritionist warns that weight loss shouldn’t be the only goal
Weight loss medications are intended to be used in conjunction with lifestyle changes, such as exercise and a healthy diet. But too often, people view them as a silver bullet for weight loss. And the high price tag and variable insurance coverage for these popular weight loss drugs create a barrier for many people.
Most people with chronic back pain naturally think their pain is caused by injuries or other problems in the body such as arthritis or bulging disks. But our research team has found that thinking about the root cause of pain as a process that’s occurring in the brain can help promote recovery.
How can I get some sleep? Which treatments actually work?
You might have tried breathing exercises, calming music, white noise, going to bed in a dark and quiet bedroom, eating different foods in the evening, maintaining a regular sleep pattern, or reducing caffeine. But after three to four weeks of what seems like progress, your insomnia returns. What next?
Amid Regulatory Gaps, Telehealth Prescribers Flourish
It’s easier than ever to get prescription drugs online. Should regulators be paying more attention?
The roots of the North American opioid crisis, and 3 key strategies for stopping it
The traditional “war on drugs” approach that focuses only on criminalization has been unsuccessful. In reality the data shows that illegal drug prices have fallen whilst purity and deaths have increased. Overdose deaths have also increased in prisons showing that places with even the highest level of security are vulnerable to drug smuggling.Focusing on the opioid crisis through a public-health approach includes massively increasing access to care and treatment for patients experiencing substance use disorder. It requires more evidence-based services such as addiction clinics, psychotherapy harm reduction strategies and education for both patients and families about treatments that are available to them.Beyond initial treatment there should be continued professional social support and a wider national effort to address the socioeconomic causes in disadvantaged communities.
How do stimulants actually work to reduce ADHD symptoms?
Stimulant drugs are thought to alter the activity of key neuotransmitters, dopamine and noradrenaline, in the brain. These neurotransmitters help with attention and focus, among other things.
Naloxone now available over the counter in King County
The medication naloxone, brand name Narcan, that can reverse the effects of an opioid overdose is now available over the counter in King County.