Gender Differences and Opiate Use- For the Pain Boards

Gender Differences and Opiate Use- For the Pain Boards
Episode 327
May 19, 2025
Dr. David Rosenblum delivered a comprehensive lecture on gender differences in opiate effects and prescribing practices. He discussed several key studies examining how opiates affect males and females differently, both in animal models and humans. Dr. Rosenblum shared findings showing that morphine has stronger analgesic effects in males, while females experience longer-lasting effects. He also addressed racial disparities in opiate prescribing, noting that white patients are more likely to receive opiates. From his personal clinical experience in Brooklyn, Dr. Rosenblum observed that certain populations tend to be at higher risk for opiate abuse. The lecture covered gender-specific risk factors for opiate misuse, with women tending toward emotional/psychological factors and men showing more behavioral issues.