Opioids - by Silvia L Cruz (Hardcover)

Book Synopsis

Opioids are responsible for the vast majority of preventable deaths related to drug use, and opioid crisis is a serious international health problem. Opioids are also the mainstay in pain treatment and are invaluable tools in palliative care. The purpose of this book is to present an overview of the complex field of opioid pharmacology through evidence-based chapters in clear language backed up with sound scientific evidence, providing researchers and health professionals with a firm understanding of their effects and mechanisms of action. The authors present an overview of the history of opioids from ancient civilizations to the current opioid crisis, covering state-of-the-art advances on opioid-induced signal transduction, opioids in pain management, and the neuroinflammatory effects of opioids. Also discussed are opioid use disorders and their treatment. The authors also review the growing body of evidence of opioid effects on innate and adaptive immune responses, discussing the molecules involved in the crosstalk between opioids and innate immunity receptors to provide an updated view of those compounds as important regulators of inflammation and host defense against pathogens and damage. The overall purpose is to provide the reader with a deeper knowledge of this field despite the complexities associated with the existence of numerous ligands, receptor subtypes, and complex pharmacological profiles. To this end, the chapter authors are specialists in the field who also have extensive experience in teaching, hoping to lend their expertise in translating complex concepts into comprehensive and clear explanations.

From the Back Cover

Opioids are the mainstay in pain treatment and can be invaluable medications in palliative care. However, they are also responsible for the vast majority of preventable deaths related to drug use. This book presents an overview of the social and pharmacological aspects of opioid effects, aiming to provide researchers and health professionals with a firm understanding of their effects and mechanisms of action. The first section reviews the history of opioids from ancient civilizations to the current opioid crisis, gives voice to opioid users through first-hand testimonies, analyzes the existing international drug treatment agreements, and presents structured interventions for persons who misuse opioids. The second section covers state-of-the-art advances in the medical use of opioids, opioid-induced signal transduction, opioids in pain management, opioid use disorders and their treatment. It also presentsan updated view of opioids as regulators of inflammation and host defense against pathogens and damage. The overall aim of this book is to provide the reader with a deeper knowledge of this field despite the complexities associated with the existence of numerous ligands, receptor subtypes, and complex pharmacological profiles. To this end, the chapter authors are specialists in the field who also have extensive experience in teaching, hoping to lend their expertise in translating complex concepts into comprehensive and clear explanations.

About the Author

Silvia L. Cruz, PhD, is Professor of Pharmacobiology at Cinvestav in Mexico City. She has previously served as graduate program coordinator and Chair of the Department of Pharmacology at Cinvestav. She has worked as a full-time researcher and lecturer in the drug abuse field for the past 30 years and she is author of the Opioids chapter in the Springer book, Neuroscience in the 21sth Century.