A Dangerous Mix: Opioids, Sedatives, and Alcohol; UI Drugs Benefit Fewer Than Thought; Time to Switch to Sublingual Immunotherapy?

As many as one-third of patients being treated with opioids are also using sedatives and engaging in “risky drinking,” despite risks of oversedation and respiratory depression, according to a study by researchers from the Kaiser Permanente of Northern California in Oakland, California; and the Group Health Research Institute, the University of Washington, and the Harborview Medical Center all in Seattle, Washington. Moreover, the problem is prevalent even among patients who have no history of substance abuse.