A major new study shows that individualized treatment for babies born with opioid withdrawal can speed recovery and reduce time spent in the hospital. The clinical trial, led by Lori A. Devlin, D.O., neonatologist with Norton Children’s and a professor in the University of Louisville School of Medicine Department of Pediatrics, found a customized approach…
The landscape of opioid use disorder (OUD) treatment is evolving, with recent Drug Enforcement Administration regulation changes enabling physicians to treat patients without obtaining the X-waiver. This shift underscores the pivotal role primary care providers can play in addressing treatment gaps and offering care for patients with OUD. Understanding opioid use disorder: Definitions and diagnosis…
For pediatricians, staying informed about current trends in adolescent substance use is necessary to provide comprehensive care and effective guidance to young patients and their families. According to a presentation by Brittany K. Badal, M.D., adolescent medicine physician with Norton Children’s Medical Group, the landscape of substance use among teens is dynamic, influenced by societal…
Opioid use and misuse in the United States is a substantial public health concern that does not spare pregnant individuals. Recurrent opioid use during pregnancy may result in signs of opioid withdrawal, known as neonatal opioid withdrawal syndrome (NOWS), in the newborn infant. NOWS typically presents in the first few days after birth, as placentally-transferred…
Safer controlled substance prescribing begins with a thorough patient workup, an appropriate diagnosis and a comprehensive treatment plan, according to Kelly C. Cooper, M.D., an addiction medicine specialist with Norton Behavioral Medicine. “We just tend to go for the pills first. And it’s not just as providers, it’s patients as well,” Dr. Cooper said during…
Legislation signed in December 2022 affects Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)-registered practitioners and requires a one-time, eight-hour training on the treatment and management of patients with opioid or other substance use disorders. MATE Act compliance training Complete your training online Start today at PCSS Highlights of new DEA training requirement: The eight hours of training can…
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) does not consider opioids a first-line therapy. CDC opioid prescribing guidelines favor nonopioid therapies for chronic pain outside of active cancer, palliative care and end-of-life care. These include acetaminophen or ibuprofen, physical therapy, exercise and cognitive behavioral therapy. Clinicians should consider opioids only when the benefits for…
Deciding when to prescribe naloxone (Narcan), especially during the COVID-19 pandemic, presents unique challenges. We must consider how these challenges can lead to deteriorating mental health and increased substance use, and therefore a higher risk of death by suicide or overdose. As stewards of our patients’ health, we seek to minimize these risks. It is…
As the nation’s attention turns toward the distribution of the COVID-19 vaccine, providers are seeing many pregnant patients engaging in unhealthy behaviors, such as drug and alcohol use, to cope with the stress of the pandemic. Across all demographics, mental health issues have increased with the added stress of the COVID-19 pandemic, according to a…
In-hospital consumption of opioids after elective spine surgery is driven chiefly by age, previous opioid use, smoking and the number of levels fused, according to a recent study published in the Journal of Spine Surgery. With as many as 38% of patients nationally still on opioids one year after elective spine surgery, the researchers sought…
Successfully treating pregnant women for opioid use requires building a relationship with the patients, who often are experiencing shame and guilt as a result of their drug use, according to Jonathan W. Weeks, M.D., maternal-fetal medicine physician with Norton Children’s Maternal-Fetal Medicine. “I don’t let my moral, ethical feelings come out in the way I…
Episode 12 of the “MedChat” podcast is provided in two parts to address provider compliance with guidelines of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), as well as other safeguards when prescribing controlled substances. Part One of the “DEA Provider Compliance” episode discusses the latest guidelines related to administrative aspects of prescribing controlled substances to avoid any…