opioid crisis Archives
Pushing (anti-overdose) drugs
May. 23, 2022—An automated alert to encourage clinicians to coprescribe naloxone for patients at risk of opioid overdose increased naloxone prescriptions per opioid prescription 16-fold.
Artificial intelligence predicts opioid overdose in Tennessee
Oct. 19, 2021—Researchers at Vanderbilt and the Tennessee Department of Health have developed 30-day predictive models for fatal and non-fatal opioid-related overdose among patients receiving opioid prescriptions in the state.
Study shows link between neonatal opioid withdrawal syndrome and foster care entry
Oct. 13, 2021—Vanderbilt research has revealed the close relationship between neonatal opioid withdrawal syndrome and the number of infants entering foster care.
VUMC expands programming in effort to help pregnant and postpartum women, infants in opioid crisis
Aug. 12, 2021—A newly created program at Vanderbilt University Medical Center is aiming to address the increasing toll the opioid crisis is having on pregnant and postpartum women and their infants.
Study shows drastic increases in opioid-affected births
Jan. 12, 2021—The rate of mothers who had an opioid-related diagnosis when delivering their baby increased by 131% from 2010-2017, as the incidence of babies diagnosed with drug withdrawal, known as neonatal abstinence syndrome (NAS), increased by 82% nationally during that same time period.
Land of plenty (of opioids)
Aug. 24, 2020—Surgical patients are being given more opioids than they need for postsurgical pain management, raising the risk of addiction.
Opioid prescriptions after childbirth linked to increased risk of overdose, persistent use
Jun. 9, 2020—Women who are prescribed opioids after childbirth have an increased risk of persistent opioid use or other serious opioid-related events, including overdose, in their first year postpartum, according to a new study by Vanderbilt University Medical Center researchers. This is true regardless of whether the woman had a vaginal delivery or a cesarean section.
Women in criminal justice system less likely to receive evidence-based treatment for opioid use disorder
May. 18, 2020—Pregnant women involved in the criminal justice system are disproportionately not receiving medications for opioid use disorder, as compared to their peers, according to a Vanderbilt-led study published today in PLOS Medicine.
Study finds newborn opioid withdrawal rates show evidence of stabilizing
May. 12, 2020—Rates of neonatal abstinence syndrome (NAS) have plateaued after 20 years of increasing frequency across the country, according to a new study published in Health Affairs. NAS is a withdrawal syndrome experienced by some opioid-exposed newborns after birth.
Safeguarding opioids a concern as children may have more access with families at home due to COVID-19
Apr. 22, 2020—A new poll from the Vanderbilt Center for Child Health Policy found that few Tennessee parents take steps to safeguard opioids at home, an important concern when children are spending more time indoors due to COVID-19 social distancing recommendations.
Reducing postoperative opioids
Feb. 24, 2020—An opioid-restrictive prescribing protocol reduced the number of postoperative opioid prescriptions and the oral morphine equivalent per prescription.
Tennessee Receives Grant from Federal Government to Address Opioid Crisis
Dec. 20, 2019—The Division of TennCare will partner with VUMC as part of the MOM program focusing on 26 rural and urban counties to improve the outcomes for women with opioid use disorder and their infants.
