Publications by authors named "Berterame S"
Article Synopsis
- Estimates show a significant need for palliative care in low- and middle-income countries, particularly regarding access to essential opioids for pain relief.
- The DOME (Distributed Opioids in Morphine Equivalents) methodology quantifies this need by converting procured opioid quantities into morphine equivalents, allowing for a clearer assessment of unmet pain relief requirements.
- By using DOME and its metrics, countries can evaluate their health systems' capacity for palliative care and address gaps, ultimately improving health coverage and access to necessary treatments.
Article Synopsis
- The study examines pharmaceutical opioid consumption trends in 22 countries of the Eastern Mediterranean Region from 2010 to 2019, noting disparities in access and policy for pain management.
- It found that opioid use has been low overall, with significant differences between countries; for instance, the highest consumption was 369 S-DDD in 2019, while the lowest was just 1.
- The authors conclude that many countries in the region have inadequate opioid consumption and call for international support to improve data collection and access to pain relief.
Background: Opioid analgesics play a key role in pain management but providing access while mitigating risk of misuse and dependence remains a challenge. Tracking global consumption of all opioids over time can help identify emerging patterns and drivers of use.
Methods: Prescription opioid analgesic consumption was estimated for 76 countries between 2009 and 2019 using IQVIA MIDAS data.
Background: Over the last decades, consumption of opioids for the treatment of pain increased steadily in the United States, Australia, and a few European countries. To date, no study has analysed time trends in opioid consumption across Europe.
Methods: We analysed data provided by International Narcotics Control Boards on the consumption of fentanyl, oxycodone, morphine, hydromorphone and pethidine in 40 European countries over the last decade.
Background: Despite opioid analgesics being essential for pain relief, use has been inadequate in many countries. We aim to provide up-to-date worldwide, regional, and national data for changes in opioid analgesic use, and to analyse the relation of impediments to use of these medicines.
Methods: We calculated defined daily doses for statistical purposes (S-DDD) per million inhabitants per day of opioid analgesics worldwide and for regions and countries from 2001 to 2013, and we used generalised estimating equation analysis to assess longitudinal change in use.
Many studies have documented the safety, efficacy, and effectiveness of long-acting opioids (L-AOs), such as methadone and buprenorphine, in the treatment of heroin addiction. This article reviews the pharmacological differences between L-AO medications and short-acting opioids (heroin) in terms of reinforcing properties, pharmacokinetics, effects on the endocrine and immune systems. Given their specific pharmacological profile, L-AOs contribute to control addictive behavior, reduce craving, and restore the balance of disrupted endocrine function.
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