Prescription opioid and benzodiazepine misuse is associated with suicidal ideation in older adults

Peer Reviewedhttps://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/147198/1/gps4999_am.pdfhttps://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/147198/2/gps4999.pd

Commentary on White and Colleagues: Trends in Alcoholâ Related Emergency Department Visits in the United States: Results from the Nationwide Emergency Department Sample, 2006 to 2014 (ACER, 2018)

Peer Reviewedhttps://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/142426/1/acer13593.pdfhttps://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/142426/2/acer13593_am.pd

Uses, Effects and Toxicity of Synthetic Cannabinoids from the Perspective of People with Lived Experiences

Synthetic cannabinoids (SCs) are a class of synthetic chemicals with cannabis-like properties, and little is known about their pharmacological and toxicological effects. The objective of this study was to explore the effects of SCs and the underlying motivations of use among participants with lived experiences. Content analysis of experiences of people using SCs was carried out based on online discussions. A total of 1660 posts from 50 threads between 2004 and 2016 were examined. Relevant information was recorded on characteristics of users as well as on characteristics of SCs, the modality of their use, and the SC-related experienced effects and toxicity. Users exchanged online significant information on SCs consumption. While a growing amount of attention has been given to the chemical and pharmacological profile of SCs, very little is known about the subjective components of such use. It remains important to study the lived experiences of people who used novel psychoactive substances (NPSs) to implement prevention and treatment, and to guide future research in the field

Genetic and environmental risk factors in the non-medical use of over-the-counter or prescribed analgesics, and their relationship to major classes of licit and illicit substance use and misuse in a population-based sample of young adult twins

Background and Aims: The non-medical use of over-the-counter or prescribed analgesics (NMUA) is a significant public health problem. Little is known about the genetic and environmental etiology of NMUA and how these risks relate to other classes of substance use and misuse. Our aims were to estimate the heritability NMUA and sources of genetic and environmental covariance with cannabis and nicotine use, cannabis and alcohol use disorders and nicotine dependence in Australian twins. Design: Biometrical genetic analyses or twin methods using structural equation univariate and multivariate modeling. Setting: Australia. Participants: A total of 2007 young adult twins [66% female; μ\ua0=\ua025.9, standard deviation (SD)\ua0=\ua03.6, range\ua0=\ua018–38] from the Brisbane Longitudinal Twin Study retrospectively assessed between 2009 and 2016. Measurements: Self-reported NMUA (non-opioid or opioid-based), life-time nicotine, cannabis and opioid use, DSM-V cannabis and alcohol use disorders and the Fagerström Test for Nicotine Dependence. Findings: Life-time NMUA was reported by 19.4% of the sample. Univariate heritability explained 46% [95% confidence interval (CI)\ua0=\ua00.29–0.57] of the risks in NMUA. Multivariate analyses revealed that NMUA is moderately associated genetically with cannabis (r\ua0=\ua00.41) and nicotine (r\ua0=\ua00.45) use and nicotine dependence (r\ua0=\ua00.34). In contrast, the genetic correlations with cannabis (r\ua0=\ua00.15) and alcohol (r\ua0=\ua00.07) use disorders are weak. Conclusions: In young male and female adults in Australia, the non-medical use of over-the-counter or prescribed analgesics appears to have moderate heritability. NMUA is moderately associated with cannabis and nicotine use and nicotine dependence. Its genetic etiology is largely distinct from that of cannabis and alcohol use disorders

Effects of the noncompetitive N‐methyl‐d‐aspartate receptor antagonists ketamine and MK‐801 on pain‐stimulated and pain‐depressed behaviour in rats

BackgroundPain is a significant public health concern, and current pharmacological treatments have problematic side effects and limited effectiveness. N‐methyl‐d‐aspartate (NMDA) glutamate receptor antagonists have emerged as one class of candidate treatments for pain because of the significant contribution of glutamate signalling in nociceptive processing.MethodsThis study compared effects of the NMDA receptor antagonists ketamine and MK‐801 in assays of pain‐stimulated and pain‐depressed behaviour in rats. The nonsteroidal anti‐inflammatory drug ketoprofen was examined for comparison as a positive control. Intraperitoneal injection of dilute acid served as an acute visceral noxious stimulus to stimulate a stretching response or depress intracranial self‐stimulation (ICSS) in male Sprague–Dawley rats.ResultsKetamine (1.0–10.0 mg/kg) blocked acid‐stimulated stretching but failed to block acid‐induced depression of ICSS, whereas MK‐801 (0.01–0.1 mg/kg) blocked both acid‐stimulated stretching and acid‐induced depression of ICSS. These doses of ketamine and MK‐801 did not alter control ICSS in the absence of the noxious stimulus; however, higher doses of ketamine (10 mg/kg) and MK‐801 (0.32 mg/kg) depressed all behaviour. Ketoprofen (1.0 mg/kg) blocked both acid‐induced stimulation of stretching and depression of ICSS without altering control ICSS.ConclusionThese results support further consideration of NMDA receptor antagonists as analgesics; however, some NMDA receptor antagonists are more efficacious at attenuating pain‐depressed behaviours.What does this study addNMDA receptor antagonists produce dissociable effects on pain‐depressed behaviour.Provides evidence that pain‐depressed behaviours should be considered and evaluated when determining the antinociceptive effects of NMDA receptor antagonists.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/134264/1/ejp847_am.pdfhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/134264/2/ejp847.pd

Nivel de conocimientos de estudiantes de medicina sobre diagnóstico y manejo del infarto agudo del miocardio

Introduction: acute myocardial infarction is a disease with high morbidity and mortality.Objective: to determine the knowledge level of medical students about the diagnosis and management of acute myocardial infarction.Method: an observational, descriptive and cross-sectional study was carried out between January and February 2022 in medical students from the University of Medical Sciences of Pinar del Río who participated in the provincial update workshop on acute myocardial infarction. Through intentional sampling, a sample of 92 students was selected. To collect the information, a survey was used using Google Forms.Results: the female sex (65,21%), the age group from 21 to 22 years (65,21%) and the fourth-year students (50%) prevailed. Hypertension was the most identified risk factor (97,98%). 97,82% of the students identified precordial pain as the main clinical manifestation. 100% identified the presentation with complications, where sudden death was the most identified (81,52%). 100% point to the electrocardiogram as the main complementary, where ST alterations were the most identified (84,78%). 95,65% of the students indicated constant monitoring of vital parameters and cardiovascular function as the management measure.Conclusions: Medicine students belonging to the clinical area at the University of Medical Sciences of Pinar del Río have an adequate level of knowledge about the diagnosis and management of acute myocardial infarction.Introducción: el infarto agudo del miocardio constituye una enfermedad con elevada morbilidad y mortalidad.Objetivo: determinar el nivel de conocimientos de estudiantes de medicina sobre el diagnóstico y manejo del infarto agudo del miocardioMétodo: se realizó un estudio observacional, descriptivo y transversal entre enero y febrero de 2022 en estudiantes de Medicina de la Universidad de Ciencias Médicas de Pinar del Río del ciclo clínico que participaron en el Taller provincial de actualización sobre infarto agudo de miocardio. Mediante un muestreo intencional se seleccionó una muestra de 92 estudiantes. Para la recolección de la información se empleó una encuesta mediante Google Forms.Resultados: predominó el sexo femenino (65,21 %), el grupo etario de 21 a 22 años (65,21 %) y los estudiantes de cuarto año (50 %). La hipertensión fue el factor de riesgo más identificado (97,98 %). El 97,82 % de los estudiantes identificó el dolor precordial como principal manifestación clínica. El 100 % identificó la presentación con complicaciones, donde la muerte súbita fue la más identificada (81,52 %). El 100 % señala al electrocardiograma como principal complementario, donde las alteraciones del ST fueron las más identificada (84,78 %). El 95,65 % de los estudiantes indicaron la monitorización constante de los parámetros vitales y función cardiovascular como la medida de manejo.Conclusiones: los estudiantes de Medicina pertenecientes al área clínica en la Universidad de Ciencias Médicas de Pinar del Río poseen un adecuado nivel de conocimientos sobre el diagnóstico y manejo del infarto agudo del miocardio.