Blackburn News- COVID-19 Consultations

A big thank you to Blackburn News and Josh Boyce for this article, and helping to circulate the news that our office is taking COVID-19 related calls. In an effort to help ease the burden our healthcare system is facing during this pandemic, we've opened up our phone lines, 7 days a week, to the public—regardless of whether you are a current patient or not.

We know that call volumes at your Primary Care Provider and Ontario Telehealth are extremely high right now. So to help patients get access to the information they need, our team is standing by to help. Simply contact our office at 519.339.9233 to set up your consultation call.

Full article available here.

Cannabis a superbug slaying antibiotic? McMaster researchers break new ground

Could cannabis be an antibiotic capable of fighting drug-resistant superbugs?

Possibly.

New research from McMaster University in Hamilton, ON, tested over 18 cannabinoids found in the cannabis plant and found that cannabigerol (CBG) "was the strongest bacteria fighter." CBG has the ability to "fight the superbug known as methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA),” an aggressive and potentially deadly bacteria.

Everyone knows about CBD, but their research showed that CBD was more potent: "It turns out it's active against the membrane of bacteria; it kills antibiotic resistant bacteria, and can really go after MRSA."

This specific cannabinoid "packed enough toxicity that it could destroy red blood cells and not just virulent bacteria," said Dr. Eric Brown, lead author of the study.

As the body of evidence grows around the other 100+ cannabinoids, it is an exciting time to be in the field of cannabinoid medicine and we will likely find many new medical applications as we undertake more research.

Full article available here.

Changes in Major Depressive Disorder After a 12-month Lyengar Yoga and Coherent Breathing Intervention

As a family physician, I was trained to apply a mutli-disciplinary approach to patient care and to consider non-pharmacologic options as a first line treatment. A recent study published in the Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine, shed new light on how yoga and coherent breathing can have a powerful effect on mood disorders.

Patients diagnosed with Major Depressive Disorder completed a 12 week yoga intervention and ultimately resulted in improved mood “by increasing the activity of the gamma aminobutyric acid (GABA) level”. But this increase in GABA levels isn’t permanent. The solution: incorporating at least one yoga intervention a week to maintain and elevate mood. Our bodies have an amazing ability to heal themselves if we work at it.

Full article available here.

Medical Cannabis Patterns of Use and Substitution for Opioids, Other Pharmaceutical Drugs & Illicit Substances

There have been several studies published that have shown a correlation between increased access to legal medical cannabis and a reduction in opioid usage and related harms; however, most of them have focused on the U.S.

In one of the largest polling studies to date, investigators looked at over 2032 surveys provided by Canadian Licensed Producers to understand the patterns of medical cannabis use and its substitution for pharmaceutical and illicit drugs.

Published in the Harm Reduction Journal, the study found the most commonly documented substitution was for prescription drugs (69% of participants), followed by alcohol (44.5%)

This study adds another uniquely Canadian perspective to the growing body of evidence that “increased regulated access to medical and recreational cannabis can result in a reduction in the use of and subsequent harms associated with opioids, alcohol, tobacco and other substances.”

Full article available here.

Cannabidiol and The Potential Applications for Alcohol Use Disorder

An often overlooked area in cannabinoid medicine is its potential for treating alcohol use disorders (AUD). Specifically, cannabidiol (CBD) has shown promise in treating clinical symptoms of AUD.

A recent study published in Alcoholism Clinical & Experimental Research Journal found CBD was shown to treat AUD through two mechanisms of action.

1) CBD affects the brain by reducing the influence of alcohol consumption by reducing stress and anxiety. 2) CBD may influence AUD symptoms through its actions across the digestive, immune, and central nervous systems, collectively known as the microbiota–gut–brain axis (MGBA). Notably, emerging work suggests that CBD positively affects our gut health through regulating gut bacteria, and reducing inflammation.

Since CBD has been shown to be non-impairing and non-addictive, this may prove to be a valuable treatment option for patients with AUD.

Full article available here.

CBN: The New Up-And-Coming Cannabinoid

When the average person thinks of medical cannabis they think of the two main cannabinoids: THC and CBD. While these are the most researched and understood, there are actually more than 80 different cannabinoids in the cannabis flower and we’re just starting to understand some of their benefits.

Recently, researchers have started turning their attention to another cannabinoid: CBN

Although research on CBN is still in its infancy, preliminary studies suggest that it may be helpful as a pain reliever, antibiotic, anti-inflammatory, appetite stimulant, cancer fighter, and is being regarded as “the most sedative of all cannabinoids.”

Full article available here.

Pregabalin and the Risk for Opioid-Related Death

Pregabalin and Gabapentin are anticonvulsants, that are increasingly prescribed as an adjunct for chronic pain. Recent research published in the Annals of Internal Medicine, found that patients prescribed both opioids and either pregabalin or gabapentin concurrently had an increased risk of opioid-related deaths.

Here’s what can happen: When used together, both drugs can suppress the central nervous system, affecting breathing, which can be life threatening. Opioid use can also increase the amount of gabapentin absorbed by the body, which can further increase risks when used together.

“Physicians should carefully consider whether to prescribe this combination of products and if deemed necessary, patients should be closely monitored and adjust opioid doses accordingly.”

Another important point: Current warning labels on gabapentin contain information about the serious adverse effects when combined with opioids; shockingly, labels on pregabalin do not.

A significant part of my work is focused on opioid reduction and improving quality of life. Studies such as this highlight the growing and urgent need for practitioners to familiarize themselves with safer, alternate, methods of treatment for chronic pain, like cannabinoid medicine.

Full article available here.

The Effectiveness of Topical Cannabidiol (CBD) Oil in Symptomatic Relief of Peripheral Neuropathy

For patients suffering from peripheral neuropathy, symptom relief can be challenging with many treatments falling short. In a recent randomized, placebo-controlled trial investigating the efficacy of topically delivered CBD oil in the management of neuropathic chronic pain, researchers found “a statistically significant reduction in intense pain, sharp pain, and cold and itchy sensations in the CBD group when compared to the placebo group.” Additionally, no adverse events were reported in this study.

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Frequency of cannabis and illicit opioid use among people who use drugs and report chronic pain

A recent study has revealed that cannabis may serve as an adjunct to or substitution for illicit opioid use among people who use drugs with chronic pain in Vancouver, British Columbia. The findings of this study have particular implications for healthcare and harm reduction service providers.

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Why women with breast cancer are turning to cannabis (it's not nausea).

Using cannabinoids to ease the symptoms of chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting is considered one of the medical applications most strongly supported by the research. But cancer encompasses an entire range of diseases, with treatments – and side-effects - that vary as well.

In the first ever study conducted to evaluate the underlying reasons women with breast cancer use cannabis, the results revealed that pain was the number one reason, followed by anxiety, insomnia, nausea and anorexia.

With more than half the women diagnosed with breast cancer being over the age of 50, treatment can exacerbate pre-existing medical conditions associated with older age (ie. arthritis, neuropathy). With many patients suffering an average of 3 symptoms, cannabis can help reduce polypharmacy as it is a multimodal medication and can manage many of these symptoms simultaneously.

Read the full article here.