University of Sydney Union

FRIDAY, Sept. 20, 2024 -- Doctors sometimes turn to antidepressants as a means of easing older people's physical pain, but a new expert review finds there's little evidence to support the practice. Antidepressants may even come with hazards for seniors who don't need them, said researchers from the University of Sydney in Australia. "Harms of antidepressant use in older people are well documented," said study senior author Dr. Christina Abdel Shaheed . Her team found that, compared to older folks using other methods to ease pain, those on antidepressants had higher risks for falling, dizziness and injury. “These medicines are being prescribed to remedy patients' pain, despite the lack of evidence to adequately inform their use,” said Abdel Shaheed, an associate professor in the university’s School of Public Health and the Institute for Musculoskeletal Health. The findings were published recently in the British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology . According to the researchers, over the past 40 years there have been only 15 trials worldwide that focused on the use of antidepressants for physical pain in people over the age of 65. Poring over the data from these studies, the Sydney team found little evidence to support the use of the drugs to ease pain in seniors. Standard international guidelines do support the use of antidepressants for chronic pain generally, but the data those guidelines are based on did not focus on patients in their senior years. That could lead to misinformed decisions by doctors, said study lead author Dr. Sujita Narayan . “If I am a busy clinician and want to look at the guidelines for quick reference, I will probably have time to look at only the key points regarding management of chronic pain, some of which advise the use of antidepressants,” explained Narayan, a research fellow at the university’s Institute for Musculoskeletal Health. On top of the potential harms from antidepressants, people who took them for pain were more likely to quit using them, compared to other forms of medication. And that comes with its own dangers, the researchers warned. “Withdrawal from antidepressants can be as bad as withdrawal from opioids," Narayan explained in a university news release. "I would recommend that anyone considering discontinuing their medication to not stop taking their antidepressants immediately, but to consult with their clinician and devise a tapering plan, as necessary." While most of the studies found antidepressants largely ineffective in easing pain in seniors, there was one exception: Knee pain linked to arthritis treated with duloxetine (Cymbalta). But even that benefit was time-specific. “There was higher quality evidence on its efficacy for chronic pain related to knee osteoarthritis," Narayan said. "This was based on using it for a period of roughly two to four months. It wasn't significant in the immediate term, if used for up to two weeks, and no data was available for use beyond a 12-month period." “For clinicians and patients who might be using or considering duloxetine for knee osteoarthritis, the message is clear: benefits may be seen with a little persistence, but the effects may be small and need to be weighed up against the risk,” Narayan concluded. She and Abdel Shaheed noted that most of the trials focused on antidepressants and pain relief guidelines were small, averaging less than 100 participants. "The key point is that we shouldn't rely on findings from studies with younger people and apply them to older adults because they are different, older people’s bodies undergo changes that alter how they respond to medications," Narayan said. "This can lead to different effects in older people compared to younger people." Whatever your topic of interest, subscribe to our newsletters to get the best of Drugs.com in your inbox.

TUESDAY, Sept. 3, 2024 -- A survey of Australian adolescents finds those who are experiencing depressive symptoms have double the risk of taking up vaping. “In the short term, nicotine may reduce feelings of anxiety and stress, and young people may be reaching for vapes as a coping mechanism," said study co-author Emily Stockings . “Regardless of whether mental ill health influences smoking or vice-versa, it is clear that if we are to prevent vaping onset, we need to address mental health at the same time," said Stockings, who is an associate professor of medicine at the University of Sydney's Matilda Center. Her team published its findings Sept. 2 in the Australian & New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry . The study tracked the mental health and vaping rates of more than 5,000 Year 7 and 8 students (about 12-13 years of age) from 40 schools in New South Wales, Queensland and Western Australia. About 8.3% said they'd used e-cigarettes. Compared to kids with low stress levels, those who said they had moderate levels of stress were 74% more likely to have taken up vaping, and those who said they had high stress levels were 64% more likely to vape, the study found. Vaping was 105% more likely among adolescents who rated their well-being as low versus though who said it was high. There was no link between anxiety levels and adolescent vaping, the authors noted. “More research is needed to understand the complex relationship between mental health and vaping, however these findings highlight the urgent need for prevention and early intervention approaches, backed by evidence, to support both the short- and long-term health and well-being of young people," Dr. Lauren Gardner said in a University of Sydney news release. She co-leads the OurFutures Vaping Trial, which supplied the data used in the new study. According to the news release, the findings out of Australia mirror those of studies conducted in other countries, including the United States. Researchers at the Matilda Center previously found that the average adolescent vaper takes up the habit at about the age of 14. Whatever your topic of interest, subscribe to our newsletters to get the best of Drugs.com in your inbox.

KYOTO, Japan, Aug. 27, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- OMRON Healthcare Co., Ltd. based in Muko, Kyoto Prefecture, Japan, announces attendance and sponsorship of the annual congress of the European Society of Cardiology 2024 (ESC Congress 2024) which will take place in London (UK), from August 30 to September 2, 2024. At the congress, OMRON will showcase the latest heart health solutions, introducing the new "OMRON M7 Intelli IT AFib," an advanced blood pressure monitor capable of detecting possible Atrial Fibrillation (AFib) during every blood pressure measurement. AFib screening during home blood pressure monitoring enables widespread access to convenient, effective methods of detecting AFib early to aid in safeguarding people's heart health. The Satellite Symposium on Sunday, September 1, will address the importance of the early detection of AFib and the results of a clinical trial concerning AFib risks in hypertensive patients. Logo: Prior to the event, the second annual meeting of the AF Screen International Collaboration will take place on Thursday, August 29, 2024. This research group consists of more than 200 well known researchers in AFib from 40 countries, led by a scientific committee of international experts in heart rhythm disorders. During this meeting, participants will have the opportunity to elaborate and agree on future steps to promote discussion and research around AFib detection to reduce stroke risks. OMRON supports this important initiative through an unrestricted educational grant. The ESC Congress 2024 is an annual scientific meeting organized by the European Society of Cardiology (ESC) to advance and improve the knowledge of cardiologists, cardiovascular nurses, and allied professionals through the presentation of the latest clinical trials and research on cardiac disease. The spotlight of ESC Congress 2024 will be "Personalizing Cardiovascular Care"; a topic devoted to empowering patients through tailored treatments to improve outcomes, reduce risk, and redefine the standard of care. The event will bring together professionals from around the world to exchange information. The theme of the OMRON sponsored Satellite symposium is "Screening for AFib and hypertension: time to act now" and the notable experts, including Professor Ben Freedman, Honorary Professor of Cardiology at the University of Sydney, will discuss the clinical research results on the importance of early detection of AFib, as well as research on the possibility of early detection using new technologies. AFib, an arrhythmia that is said to be a factor in cardiogenic cerebral embolism. The lecture will also include research on the risk of developing AFib in hypertensive patients. The OMRON blood pressure monitor with a built-in ECG, OMRON Complete, was used in these clinical trials. Aiming for "Zero cerebro-cardiovascular events," OMRON Healthcare has been working on advancing the ways of detecting possible AFib at an early stage. AFib is a prevalent arrhythmia, and a key risk factor in developing heart failure and stroke. Early AFib detection and treatment can help prevent serious complications, however, the challenge is that 50-87%* of patients with AFib are initially asymptomatic, making early detection difficult. In particular, people with high blood pressure are at high risk for AFib. OMRON Healthcare has been developing a variety of devices and services that enable anyone to easily monitor blood pressure and record ECG at home to increase early detection of AFib risk. In addition, OMRON Healthcare is actively supporting clinical research and participating in events together with global medical professionals and is developing academic activities to build evidence that will benefit disease treatment and health promotion. OMRON Healthcare will continue to promote academic activities globally, develop devices and services, and contribute to empowering people worldwide to live life to the fullest. ESC Congress 2024 Event Outline Date: August 30 to September 2, 2024 (BST) Venue: ExCeL London, Royal Victoria Dock, 1 Western Gateway, London E16 1XL, United Kingdom Official website: Satellite Symposium Date & time: 10:00 am - 10:45 am on Sunday, September 1, 2024 (BST) Venue: Room Dublin, ExCel London Speakers: Prof. Ben Freedman: Honorary Professor of Cardiology at the University of Sydney Prof. Alta Schutte: Professor of Cardiovascular Medicine and Theme Lead of Cardiac, Vascular and Metabolic Medicine in the Faculty of Medicine and Health at UNSW Sydney, Australia Prof. Renate Schnabel: Professor in Cardiology at University Heart Center Hamburg Sessions: 10:00 - 10:05 Hypertension and Atrial Fibrillation: Dangerous bedfellows: Prof. B. Freedman 10:05 - 10:15 Screening for hypertension and AF in one go: A no-brainer: Prof. A. Schutte 10:15 - 10:25 Changing the game for new AF screening initiatives: Prof. R. Schnabel 10:25 - 10:35 Atrial fibrillation and its pulse wave: A new footprint: Prof. B. Freedman 10:35 - 10:45 Discussion and Q&A: Prof. B. Freedman About OMRON Healthcare Committed to advance health and empower people worldwide to live life to the fullest, OMRON Healthcare is a global leader in the field of clinically proven, innovative medical equipment for home health monitoring and treatment. Aiming to realize its vision "Going for Zero, Preventive Care for the Health of Society," the company develops products and services for cardiovascular condition management, remote patient monitoring, respiratory care, and pain therapy devices. These help healthcare professionals and patients reduce cerebro-cardiovascular events, aggravation of respiratory diseases and restrictions due to chronic pain. With well over 350 million units sold globally*, OMRON provides the world's most recommended blood pressure monitors by healthcare professionals**. Throughout its history, OMRON Healthcare has been striving to improve lives and contribute to a better society by developing innovations that help people prevent, treat, and manage their medical conditions and provide products and services in over 130 countries***. OMRON Healthcare Group is headquartered in Kyoto, Japan. Official websites: Europe: International: Japan: