The Risks of Opioid Treatment for Veterans, The Effect of Weight on Vasopressin Therapy, Diuretics and Cognitive Function in Elders, and more

Many veterans return home not only with physical health problems, but comorbid mental health problems, notably posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). On top of that, veterans with PTSD are at high risk for substance abuse, including misuse of prescription pain medications, such as opioids, say researchers from the San Francisco VAMC and the University of California at San Francisco, both in San Francisco, California; the Richard L. Roudebush VAMC and the Indiana University School of Medicine, both in Indianapolis, Indiana. Their study revealed that U.S. veterans of Iraq and Afghanistan with mental health diagnoses, especially PTSD, are highly likely to receive opioids for pain and just as likely to have adverse clinical outcomes—specifically, injuring themselves or others.