Extended-release naltrexone (Vivitrol) has had some good data, yet getting patients on it remains a challenge, because an opioid-free period is required before starting it. Understandably, practitioners get nervous when patients stabilized on buprenorphine ask to be transitioned to extended-release (XR) naltrexone.

The post-test for this issue is available for one year after the publication date to subscribers only. By successfully completing the test you will be awarded a certificate for 1 CME credit.

How should families help their loved ones who are struggling with addiction? Should they be accommodating, firm, or confrontational? The Community Reinforcement and Family Training (CRAFT) approach is a good strategy that you should become familiar with. Before we describe CRAFT, though, you should know about two other frequently used approaches to helping family members intervene: The Johnson Institute intervention and Al-Anon.

Patients with addiction are common in psychiatric or any other practice. You’re going to see patients who have these issues, so it’s good to be prepared and able to focus on treating addiction, as well as to be part of a growing group of specialists.

We are in the middle of an opioid crisis in the US, with many lives lost daily to opioid-related deaths. Pharmacotherapy with methadone, buprenorphine, or naltrexone represents an important tool for clinicians during this crisis. But just how good are these medications in saving lives? A recent retrospective cohort study evaluated the effects of methadone, buprenorphine, and naltrexone on all-cause and opioid-related mortality in the 12 months after an opioid overdose.

The post-test for this issue is available for one year after the publication date to subscribers only. By successfully completing the test you will be awarded a certificate for 1 CME credit.

After reading these articles, you should be able to…

Most of us are pretty familiar with Alcoholics Anonymous (AA), and asking about AA attendance and participation is routine during appointments with patients trying to curb their alcohol use. But what about Narcotics Anonymous (NA)?