painkillers

New painkilling chemical pathway

harminka — Mon, 24 Nov 2008 01:32:09 -0600

Marijuana kills pain by activating a set of proteins known as cannabinoid receptors, which can also regulate appetite, inflammation, and memory. The body also has chemicals known as endocannabinoids that naturally activate these same receptors, namely N-arachidonoyl ethanolamine (AEA) and 2-arachidonoylglycerol (2-AG).

Opiate use in children's hospitals provides simple steps to alleviate harm

harminka — Mon, 06 Oct 2008 06:55:53 -0500

Hospitalized kids with painful ailments from broken bones to cancer are often dosed with strong, painkilling drugs known as opiates. The medications block pain, but they can have nasty side effects. Constipation, for instance, is one side effect that can cause discomfort and even extend a child's hospital stay.

Abuse of painkillers can predispose adolescents to lifelong addiction

harminka — Thu, 11 Sep 2008 10:33:30 -0500

No child aspires to a lifetime of addiction. But their brains might.

Pain killers, stimulants less risky than cocaine, more risky than marijuana

harminka — Wed, 03 Sep 2008 00:18:52 -0500

First year college students believe that occasional nonmedical use of prescription pain killers and stimulants is less risky than cocaine, but more risky than marijuana or consuming five or more alcoholic beverages every weekend, according to a new study published in the September issue of Prevention Science, the peer-reviewed journal of the Society for Prevention Research.

Limit sucrose as painkiller for newborns

harminka — Mon, 30 Jun 2008 06:22:16 -0500

Using sucrose to reduce pain in newborns undergoing painful procedures should be limited to babies having blood taken (venipuncture) for the newborn screening test but not for intramuscular injections, write Dr. Anna Taddio and co-authors.

Painkiller Deemed Dangerous by Advocacy Group

admin_huliq — Fri, 27 Jun 2008 14:54:45 -0500

Some painkillers may do more harm than good. Public Citizen, a consumer advocacy group, is pushing the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to ban a prescription painkiller chemically known as propoxyphene, citing the dangerous risks it poses to consumers.

Risks for painkiller abuse do not outweigh benefits in chronic pain

harminka — Fri, 09 May 2008 10:26:23 -0500

As controversy swirls about proper clinical use of opioids and other potent pain medications, research reported at the American Pain Society annual meeting shows that, contrary to widespread beliefs, less than 3 percent of patients with no history of drug abuse who are prescribed opioids for chronic pain will show signs of possible drug abuse or dependence.

Painkillers, inflammation inhibitors, anti-cancer drugs and new de-methylating agents

harminka — Thu, 27 Mar 2008 03:11:50 -0500

Researchers at the National Sun Yat-Sen University and Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan have revealed a new mechanism by which nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) attenuate tumor invasion and metastasis. The research, to be published in the April 2008 issue of Experimental Biology and Medicine, provides new insights for the understanding of the anti-cancer effects of NSAIDs.

Study raises caution on new painkillers

harminka — Wed, 12 Mar 2008 13:19:40 -0500

A new class of painkillers that block a receptor called TRPV1 may interfere with brain functions such as learning and memory, a new study suggests. The experiments with rat brain found that the TRPV1 receptor regulates a neural mechanism called long-term depression, which is believed to be central to establishing memory pathways in the brain.

Acupuncture reduces pain, need for opioids after surgery

harminka — Wed, 17 Oct 2007 09:06:20 -0500

Using acupuncture before and during surgery significantly reduces the level of pain and the amount of potent painkillers needed by patients after the surgery is over, according to Duke University Medical Center anesthesiologists who combined data from 15 small randomized acupuncture clinical trials.

Antidepressants and painkillers - dangerous combination

harminka — Mon, 08 Oct 2007 13:45:58 -0500

Taking antidepressants together with painkillers can substantially increase the risk of bleeding from the stomach, according to new research by the University of East Anglia.

Why don't painkillers work for people with fibromyalgia?

harminka — Fri, 28 Sep 2007 15:08:03 -0500

People who have the common chronic pain condition fibromyalgia often report that they don’t respond to the types of medication that relieve other people’s pain.