Opioid overuse – is a huge problem in modern medicine. These drugs are the most popular painkillers that doctors typically prescribe after surgeries, especially among dentists – they contribute about 10% of all opioid prescriptions in the world, and that's why a lot of recent research is focused on seeking alternatives to this medicine.
Still, it is quite a dangerous substance for humans. Opioids can cause severe addiction (only in the US, more than 80,000 die annually because of overdose), especially in young patients, and various side effects, including problems with concentration, headaches, vomiting, etc. So, the sooner we can find alternatives to this substance, the more lives we can save.
Fortunately, recently, scientists made a breakthrough, discovering a non-opioid drug combination that manages pain much more effectively than traditional opioids.
What did scientists study?
The research group examined pain levels in patients after wisdom tooth extraction. About 1800 people participated in this experiment, receiving two types of painkillers during the postsurgical period:
- Opioid substance – 5 mg of hydrocodone with 300 mg of acetaminophen
- Non-opioid substance – 400 mg of ibuprofen and 500 mg of acetaminophen
After the first dose, participants take a new one every 4-6 hours once they need to manage pain. To estimate the effect of the drugs, patients used self-report scales to rate pain interference, sleep quality, and other health outcomes.
What did scientists find?
Research results exceeded all possible expectations, according to Cecile Feldman – lead author of the study. As it turned out, non-opioid compounds demonstrate their unconditional advantage in most health factors. Thus, people who received this drug less frequently reported headaches, inability to concentrate, and dizziness. Additionally, a smaller part of this group reported a feeling of euphoria compared to the opioid group, which reduces the risk of addiction development.
This discovery can dramatically change the situation with the "opioid pandemic" in some countries, saving thousands of lives from overdose. Also, non-opioid drugs have much less dangerous side effects for organisms, so their implementation in common dental practice can also reduce the pharmacological burden on the patient's body.
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