Open AccessCoupling Genetic Addiction Risk Score (GARS) with Electrotherapy: Fighting Iatrogenic Opioid Dependence
Author(s) -
Kenneth Blum,
Marlene OscarBerman,
Nicholas A. DiNubile,
John Giordano,
Eric R. Braverman,
Courtney E Truesdell,
Debmalya Barh,
Rajendra D. Badgaiyan
Publication year - 2013
Publication title -
journal of addiction research and therapy
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
ISSN - 2155-6105
DOI - 10.4172/2155-6105.1000163
Subject(s) - addiction , medicine , medical prescription , substance abuse , psychiatry , opioid , population , prescription drug misuse , opioid use disorder , pharmacology , receptor , environmental health
The endemic of legal opioid iatrogenic induced prescription drug abuse is of major world-wide concern. Understanding pain pathways and the role of dopaminergic tone in the neurophysiology of pain relief provides potential therapeutic solutions. A 2011 NIDA report indicated that approximately 8.7% of the entire US population above the age of 12 years has used a psychoactive drug within the past 30 days. It has been reported that the overall genetic contribution to the variance of Substance Use Disorder (SUD) was approximately 60% but each candidate gene evaluated by GWAS was relatively small. In an attempt to combat this global endemic we are proposing a number of alternative strategies. Prevention of death due to opioid overdose and attenuation of prescription abuse should focus on strategies that target 1) high-dosage medical users; 2) persons who seek care from multiple doctors; 3) persons involved in “drug diversion”; 4) genetic testing for addiction liability and severity indices; 5) non-pharmacolgical analgesic treatments such as electrotherapy.