Meditech - Howie Bartz

Pharmacogenetics and Pain Management – Clinical Use and Interpretation of the Common Pharmacogenetic Tests

In recent years, pharmacogenetic testing has become more common in pain management. During this time, a few cytochrome P450 (CYP450) enzymes have been identified as being particularly important to the metabolism of certain pharmaceutical agents commonly used in pain treatment, such as opioids, antidepressants, and anti-inflammatory agents. This article presents an up-to-date status and review of the pharmacogenetic markers that have relevance to pain practice.

http://www.practicalpainmanagement.com/resources/diagnostic-tests/pharmacogenetics-pain-management

Pharmacogenetics And Pain Management This article presents an up-to-date status and review of the clinical use and interpretation of the common pharmacogenetic markers that have relevance to pain management.

Prescription painkillers have been linked to addiction and death. More than two-thirds of the 22,767 drug-related overdoses in 2013 involved opioids, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The panel, convened by the National Institutes of Health, released its findings in a report published Jan. 12.

http://www.safetyandhealthmagazine.com/articles/11705-nih-panel-on-opioid-use-calls-for-individualized-treatment-for-americans-in-pain

NIH panel on opioid use calls for individualized treatment for Americans in pain Bethesda, MD – Until more research is conducted on the safety and effectiveness of opioid painkillers, the health care community should focus on individualized care for the one-third of Americans who experience chronic pain, an independent panel of medical experts has concluded.

Take These Steps Before Considering Knee Surgery

Arthroscopic surgery to trim or remove a torn meniscus — the cartilage that cushions your knees — is the most common orthopedic surgery in the United States. About 700,000 of the procedures are done each year, a 50 percent increase in the past 15 years.

But research shows that it’s often no better than physical therapy at easing symptoms. And in a New England Journal of Medicine study, patients who had sham surgery — in which surgeons made a small incision, then simulated the rest of the procedure — fared just as well as those who had the real deal. Other research shows that arthritis is more likely to develop in people who have the procedure than in those who don’t.

Bottom line: If you’re suffering age-related knee pain and an MRI scan reveals a tear, first try rest, ice, a knee brace, over-the-counter anti-inflammatory drugs and physical therapy.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/national/health-science/if-your-doctor-says-you-need-surgery-you-may-want-to-explore-other-options/2015/08/24/111c4120-09fe-11e5-a7ad-b430fc1d3f5c_story.html

If your doctor says you need surgery, you may want to explore other options It may be wiser to handle knee pain, for example, with drugs, physical therapy, rest or a brace.