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Hepatitis B and C are highly prevalent in people who use drugs and can result in significant morbidity and mortality due to progressive liver disease. In this article, we cover all the basics, including screening, symptoms, and relevant laboratory testing. We give tips to provide your patients on hepatitis prevention and when to refer them to specialists for treatment. 

While stimulant withdrawal typically does not cause physiologic symptoms requiring immediate medication treatment, patients can be behaviorally challenging during this time. Here, researchers developed a protocol to treat patients withdrawing from methamphetamines on an inpatient unit.

Buprenorphine is a first-line treatment for opioid use disorder, however, given buprenorphine to a patient who still has opioids in their system can precipitate severe withdrawal. Careful assessment of withdrawal can minimize the risk, but despite our best efforts, precipitated withdrawal can still occur. In this article, we review what to do for our patients experiencing buprenorphine-precipitated opioid withdrawal.

Prescription stimulants, while effective for treating ADHD, are widely taken without a prescription, particularly by young adults for cognitive enhancement, weight loss, and recreational purposes. This misuse poses serious risks, from developing stimulant use disorder to experiencing severe cardiovascular and psychiatric effects. In this article, you'll learn about the prevalence and patterns of stimulant misuse, its associated dangers, and tips on how to manage it in clinical practice.