New treatment approach for opioid addiction

HOLLYWOOD, Fla. ā€“ A new treatment option could benefit some of the nearly 2 million Americans who suffer from opioid use disorder.

Dr. Alberto Augsten, a clinical toxicologist and psychopharmacologist with Memorial Healthcare System, said the FDA has approved a drug called Brixadi, which is an extended-release injection of the drug buprenorphine.

Buprenorphine has been available in oral form for decades.

ā€œIt can be injected in the subcutaneous fat, which could be in the abdomen, it could be in the outer arm, the thigh, the buttocks even, and the injection lasts a whole week so people donā€™t have to worry about taking a pill daily -- the clinician doesnā€™t have to worry about are they taking that medication that I prescribed, and you have the confidence to know that that medication is in the body treating their opioid use disorder which prevents the cravings that led them to use illicit substances, so itā€™s a very useful product at this point,ā€ Augsten said.

Studies have shown that patients who are effectively treated for opioid use disorder cut their risk of death from all causes in half.

EXERCISE & CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASE

When it comes to reaping the cardiovascular benefits of exercise overall, duration matters more than the number of days per week.

Researchers in the U.K. found that as long as people got their weekly recommended moderate to vigorous physical activity, it didnā€™t matter if they did it on a ā€œweekend warriorā€ schedule or more regularly throughout the week.

The study showed that among those who reached two and a half hours of exercise a week, both activity patterns were associated with similarly lower risks of heart disease compared with inactivity.


About the Authors
Kristi Krueger headshot

Kristi Krueger has built a solid reputation as an award-winning medical reporter and effervescent anchor. She joined Local 10 in August 1993. After many years co-anchoring the 6 p.m. and 11 p.m., Kristi now co-anchors the noon newscasts, giving her more time in the evening with her family.

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