Fentanyl and the Current State of the Opioid Epidemic
Last year, our country hit a grim milestone. Overdose deaths surpassed 100,000 for the first time in a 12-month period. More than 64,000 of these deaths involved fentanyl, a synthetic opioid 80 to 100 times more potent than morphine. Today, fentanyl is the leading cause of death for adults aged 18-45, claiming more lives during […]
5 Reasons Telemedicine is the Future of Health Care
Telemedicine involves the use of electronic communications and software like computers, video, phones, or messaging to provide clinical services to patients virtually. Telemedicine can effectively be used for various applications, including follow-up visits, chronic condition monitoring, medication management, and consultations. Here are a few benefits of incorporating telemedicine into our current health care system. Benefits […]
Opioid Poisoning in Young Children: What You Should Know
Poisoning can happen to people of all ages, but incidences disproportionately affect children younger than six years old, with peak poison frequency occurring in one and two-year-olds. Here are a few things to know about opioid poisoning in young children and a few preventative measures you can take to keep your kids safe. Poisoning and Children According […]
Opioid Use Among Teens: Let’s Talk About It
Opioids are medications prescribed by doctors to treat pain. They are called opioids because they attach to the opioid receptors in the brain and throughout other parts of the body to block pain messages. While these drugs can effectively alleviate pain, they can be highly addictive, especially among teens whose brains aren’t fully developed yet. Opioids […]
6 Reasons the Pandemic Worsened the Opioid Epidemic
The United States has been fighting an opioid epidemic since the late 1990s. Unfortunately, much of our progress has backtracked during the COVID-19 pandemic. Not only did the pandemic trigger new dependence issues for some, but it also exacerbated existing addictions and disrupted treatment for those already seeking help. Let’s look at a few key […]
6 Ways Opioids Can Hurt Your Heart
Opioids are a drug class used to reduce pain. They work by binding to opioid receptors throughout the body to block pain messages sent to the brain to the spinal cord. Due to the way opioids interact with the body, they can have adverse effects on the heart. Here are a few common heart conditions associated with […]
Can Chronic Stress Cause Mental Illness?
Stress is a normal part of life. It’s how the body and brain respond to external stimuli. To a certain extent, stress is beneficial. It helps motivate us and enables us to manage high-pressure situations. But what happens when stress becomes chronic? Physiology of Stress During a stressful experience, the body increases cortisol, epinephrine, and […]
Why Are Opioid Overdoses Surging Among Older Adults?
The opioid epidemic refers to the overuse, misuse, and overdose of opioids. While the crisis affects people of all ages, there has been a significant increase in opioid overdoses among older adults over the past 20 years. From 1999 to 2019, 79,893 US adults 55 and older died from an opioid overdose, according to a longitudinal […]
Large Pharmacy Chains Found Liable For Fueling the Opioid Crisis
Vivera announced today that it has the solution to one of our nation’s most significant health challenges: the opioid crisis. Three of America’s biggest pharmacy chains were recently found liable for helping to fuel the opioid crisis. Jurors decided that Walmart, CVS, and Walgreens, contributed to a public nuisance in two Ohio counties by selling and […]
The Fourth Wave of the Opioid Crisis: What You Should Know
The opioid crisis is a significant public health crisis in the United States that is only worsening. According to preliminary data released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, about 100,306 people died of a drug overdose in the U.S. between April 2020 and April 2021. This is the first time drug-related deaths have reached six figures […]
