Oct. 10, 2024 – Did you hear that? current news that Ozempic, the favored weight reduction and diabetes drug, may reduce the danger of opioid overdose, in keeping with a brand new study? The finding could also be particularly essential for individuals with diabetes, and here's why.
People with type 2 diabetes are twice as prone to take prescription opioids as people without diabetes. Research showspotentially making them more vulnerable to abuse and addiction. Because to develop an issue with opioids, you first must take them.
“The bottom line is that these medications pose risks, particularly when people take them for long periods of time,” said Scott G. Weiner, MD, MPH, director of B-CORE: The Brigham Comprehensive Opioid Approach and Education Program at Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston . “And just about everyone is vulnerable to developing opioid use disorder when taking opioid medications.”
Up to 1 in 4 individuals who take opioid medications long-term will develop opioid use disorder. Accordingly, between 1999 and 2022, greater than 300,000 people died within the USA from overdoses related to prescription opioids the CDC.
Diabetes is related to medical conditions that cause people to look for something Pain managementsaid Michelle Krichbaum, PharmD, clinical manager of pain management, palliative care and opioid management at Baptist Health South Florida, who has studied opioid use trends in patients with diabetes. These include arthritis, back pain, ulcers, and peripheral neuropathy (nerve damage within the hands and feet that may result in amputation).
Another Study 2023 found that Medicare enrollees with diabetes were more prone to receive opioids in the event that they had complications – including neuropathy, a history of amputation, hypertension, obesity, heart disease or peripheral vascular disease. The risk also increased with associated liver and lung diseases, in addition to depression and alcohol or drug abuse.
“The most important thing is to make sure your diabetes is managed appropriately,” Krichbaum said. “That alone will reduce your risk of other painful comorbidities and therefore reduce your risk of needing analgesics of any kind” – including opioids.
If you may have diabetes and are concerned about opioids, consider this expert advice.
Try other painkillers first. Opioids ought to be a final resort, Weiner said. “They're just too dangerous.” Make sure you and your doctor have explored other options, similar to: B. anti-inflammatory drugs for arthritis or nerve medications for neuropathy. (Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs similar to ibuprofen might not be appropriate if you may have kidney or heart problems, Krichbaum said.)
Consider non-drug options. Ask your doctor for a referral to a pain psychologist. “A lot of the pain depends on how the individual interprets it and the catastrophizing around them,” Weiner said. If you're feeling like your pain is the top of the world or if you happen to expect the pills to make each pain go away, chances are you'll be more vulnerable to opioid use disorder. A psychologist can enable you to redefine your pain, higher manage it, and relieve discomfort. Also take into consideration acupuncture, Tai Chi, physiotherapy or yoga – they're all proven to assist with pain.
Ask questions. Before you begin taking opioids, “you must definitely ask the doctor: Should I be there? How can I take it safely? What will be the plan to ensure I am well and do not experience medication abuse or use disorder?“said Weimer. Also ask how long you will need the medication and discuss a plan for stopping it one day.
Talk to your doctor about Ozempic. I'll come back to it again new study Linking semaglutide to opioid overdose prevention: “We think what's happening is that it somehow dulls the pleasure response to things like food or, in this case, opioids,” Krichbaum said. She is cautiously optimistic but said more research is needed before the drug can be prescribed to treat opioid use disorder. However, if you are considering Ozempic to treat obesity or diabetes, talk to your doctor about this possible added benefit.
Discuss a pain relief plan before surgery. At a Stanford University studyPeople with type 2 diabetes who took opioids after surgery were 56% more likely to continue using them three months later than postoperative patients without diabetes. Ask your doctor about the risks and benefits of opioids compared to other options. “It's a balance,” said study creator Tina Hernandez-Boussard, PhD, a professor at Stanford Medicine. “For example, if you have knee replacement surgery, it is very important for recovery that you get on your knee and start walking and moving.” You want enough pain relief so you can move (um to speed up healing and recovery) while maintaining a tally of the risks of the medication.
Remind your doctor about your other health problems. Some make opioids more dangerous. Sleep apnea can increase the danger of opioid-related respiratory depression, or shallow respiration, Weiner said. Impaired kidney or liver function can slow the breakdown of opioids within the body, Krichbaum said, so it takes longer for the drugs to depart your body, increasing the danger of a nasty response. Also speak up if you may have a history of alcohol addiction or childhood trauma – each of which increase the likelihood of opioid use disorder.
Take precautions. Request a prescription for naloxone (Narcan) or get it over-the-counter from the pharmacy, Weiner said. This medication can reverse an opioid overdose inside minutes.
Know the signs of trouble. Take opioids exactly as directed and look ahead to signs of opioid uselessness retreat or tolerance – higher doses required. Warning signs: getting prescriptions from different doctors, filling prescriptions early or worrying about refills, missing social obligations, using the medication for sleep problems or emotional pain, pondering an excessive amount of concerning the next dose, or taking opioids that weren't prescribed for you.
If you watched an issue or friends or relations raise concerns, answer these questions:
- Have you ever felt the necessity to reduce in your opioids?
- Do you're feeling annoyed when people complain about your drug use?
- Do you ever feel guilty about your drug use?
- Have you ever taken drugs very first thing within the morning to calm your nerves or start the day?
“If you answer yes to two or more of these questions, or even one or more of these questions, but you are worried, I think it is prudent for you to go see your doctor,” Krichbaum said. Ask if you happen to might be screened for opioid use disorder.
One treatment for opioid use disorder is buprenorphine, a medicine with pain-relieving properties. An additional advantage: When individuals with diabetes receive treatment for opioid use disorder, their blood sugar control often also improves, likely because they start to take higher care of themselves, said Devon Tilbrook, MD, a family doctor in Ontario, Canada.
“If you have an opioid use disorder and you have diabetes, getting your opioid use disorder under control would greatly benefit your diabetes and your well-being,” she said. “Similarly, it appears that having your diabetes under control will benefit your opioid use disorder.”