Learn more about how opioids work, how the opioid crisis started and what can be done to solve the problem. Dr. Comilla Sasson, Vice President for Healthcare Business Solutions Science & Innovation at the American Heart Association, and Dr. Wilson Compton, Deputy Director for National Institute on Drug Abuse at the National Institutes of Health join House Calls.

House Calls: Real Docs, Real Talk episodes feature conversations with American Heart Association staff and medical experts on topics important to heart attack and stroke patients, or anyone looking to live a longer, healthier life.

Chapters
0:00 Introduction
1:40 An overview of the Scientific Statement on opioids
3:35 Health in the Headlines
5:05 How did opioids become a crisis situation? ·
8:22 How do opioids work and why are they so addictive?
11:28 How has COVID-19 impacted opioid addiction in the U.S.?
13:38 How to help someone struggling with addiction.
16:30 What are the opioid research areas that still need to be addressed?
19:50 What are the resources available to treat substance use concerns?
22:55 What are some ways healthcare professionals can change prescribing patterns?