by Brenda Mooney
A common explanation for the high dropout rate and failure of a substance use disorder program is that patients fear symptoms of opioid withdrawal. A new study suggested that is for good reason, especially since patients who are exposed to full opioid agonists chronically are recommended to already be experiencing moderate withdrawal symptoms before they can get drugs to alleviate the symptoms. That’s why the FDA has approved new alternatives, including auricular stimulators, to help patients through the difficult withdrawal symptoms.
by Brenda Mooney
Authors of a new study strongly urged that patients with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder who have a history of suicide attempt and are younger than 59 or obese, should be monitored closely during the COVID-19 pandemic. They warned of the possibility of symptom exacerbation in those patients when they have severe COVID-19 since postmortem examination of brains in that cohort have revealed infection-related impaired brain neurotransmission.
by Mary Anne Dunkin
The combination of low muscle mass and high tumor IL-6 expression predicts early death in patients with clear cell renal cell carcinoma, according to a new study. As with some other malignancies, cachexia is a major cause of mortality in ccRCC, the authors warned, noting that the combination of low muscle mass and high tumor IL-6 expression should raise alarms.
by Annette Boyle
In most recurrent prostate cancer patients, androgen-deprivation therapy works for a while. Eventually, however, most men end up developing castration-resistant prostate cancer. Now, expanding treatment options are especially benefitting older men in that situation, who often didn’t fare well with chemotherapy.
by Stephen Spotswood
For years, pharmacists working at the VA, as well as the DoD, have had broader scope of practice than those in the community. The COVID-19 pandemic expanded it even more, with VA pharmacists playing essential roles in identifying, treating and prevention SARS-C0V-2.
