Addiction Disorders | Penn Today

Drug deaths and overdoses plague Philly jails, raising concerns about plans to step up Kensington arrests

Jeanmarie Perrone of the Perelman School of Medicine says that opioid withdrawal is typically not life-threatening, but that underlying health conditions or multidrug use can result in serious complications.

Fentanyl overdoses may cause brain injury

Researchers from Penn and the National Institute on Drug Abuse suggest that neurologic and cognitive impairments could interfere with a patient’s ability to engage in addiction treatment.

As wounds and amputations spike, experts say Philly’s $100M addiction treatment center must ensure adequate medical care for patients

Nicole O’Donnell of Penn Medicine says that the Parker administration’s planned addiction treatment center in Philadelphia presents an opportunity to cover currently nonexistent levels of care.

An open bottle of prescription pills spilling onto a table with a tumbler of whiskey.

Identifying connections between adverse childhood events and substance use disorders

New research from Penn Medicine finds that people with anxiety and substance use disorders reported experiencing more adverse childhood experiences and lacking protective factors, such as close family connections, that can mitigate their harms.

What’s going on with tranq?

Jeanmarie Perron of the Perelman School of Medicine says that the appearance and progression of skin ulcers and tissue loss on xylazine users is different than with other intravenous drugs.

How incentives could better treat stimulant use disorder

Researchers at Penn Medicine are working to update contingency management protocols and dissemination practices that focus on incentivizing behavior for patients.

Brianna Aguilar, Catherine Hood, and Anooshey Ikhlas.

Humanizing the hospital experience for people with substance use disorders

Anooshey Ikhlas, Catherine Hood, and Brianna Aguilar, winners of a 2024 President’s Engagement Prize, will work with Penn Presbyterian Medical Center to address challenges faced during hospitalization and reduce premature discharges.

Mayor Parker’s plan to ‘remove the presence of drug users’ from Kensington raises new questions

Shoshana Aronowitz of the School of Nursing and Ashish Thakrar of the Perelman School of Medicine comment on the lack of specificity in Philadelphia’s plan to remove drug users from Kensington and on the current state of drug treatment in the city.

A medical professional consulting a patient.

Helping hospitalized patients address addiction with empathy

Certified recovery specialist Eric Ezzi brings compassionate care to for patients dealing with substance use, a role that is part Penn Medicine’s efforts to address the urgent drug addiction crisis.

A patient being wheeled in the hospital flanked by two medical professionals.

New Penn Medicine Nudge Unit pilots show simple questions can improve care

Experts at the Penn Medicine Center for Addiction Medicine and Policy have seen success in treatment after posing one question: “Why not treat alcohol use the same way we’ve been treating opioid use?”

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