substance use disorders - Page 1

Expert Q&A

Vaping and Nicotine Addiction in Children and Adolescents

January 1, 2025

Jonathan P. Winickoff, MD, MPH

Pediatrician at Mass General for Children; Director of Pediatric Research, Tobacco Research and Treatment Center at Massachusetts General Hospital; Professor, Pediatrics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA.

Dr. Winickoff has no financial relationships with companies related to this material.

Nicotine is among the most addictive substances out in the community. Learn how to talk with patients and families and use the most effective strategies we know to intervene.

Expert Q&A

Addressing the Overdose Crisis: What You Can Do

January 1, 2025

Aaron Quiggle, MD, MS

Aaron Quiggle, MD, MS

Adult, child, and adolescent addiction psychiatrist; Medical Director, Addiction Recovery Management Service (ARMS), Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA.

Dr. Quiggle is a co-investigator of an investigator-sponsored trial for Ironshore Pharmaceuticals. Relevant financial relationships have been mitigated.

There are multiple ways that we can help our patients reduce the risk of overdose. In our interview with Dr. Aaron Quiggle, we cover screening, fentanyl testing, the use of Narcan and the importance of learning to prescribe buprenorphine.

Clinical Update

Substance Use Treatment in Teens: What Level of Care?

January 1, 2025

Dhruv Shah, DO and Brady Heward, MD

Dhruv Shah, DO. Assistant Professor, University of Vermont Medical Center, Burlington, VT.

Brady Heward, MD. Assistant Professor, University of Vermont Medical Center, Burlington, VT; Clinical Instructor, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT.

Dr. Heward has no financial relationships with companies related to this material. Dr. Shah has served as a consultant for HPS Brain Gym. Relevant financial relationships have been mitigated.

One of the most challenging problems in adolescent care is figuring out what level of care will give patients the best chance of recovery or progress. We give you a guide to decide what level of care to recommend based on your individual patient.

Clinical Update

Inpatient Use of Benzodiazepines for Patients With Substance Use Disorders

January 31, 2024

Audrey Abelleira, PharmD, BCPP

Audrey Abelleira, PharmD, BCPP. Clinical pharmacist practitioner, VA Connecticut Healthcare System; clinical instructor, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT.

Dr. Abelleira has no financial relationships with companies related to this material.

Benzodiazepines are highly beneficial for managing anxiety and agitation in psychiatric inpatient settings, but we must be cautious about prescribing them to patients with substance use disorders (SUDs). Here we review strategies to reduce the risk of benzodiazepine misuse and discuss alternative medication options, including second-generation antipsychotics, antidepressants, gabapentin, and pregabalin.

Clinical Update

Medication Treatments for Alcohol and Opioid Use Disorder in Older Adults

May 11, 2023

Rehan Aziz, MD.

Rehan Aziz, MD. Associate program director, Geriatric Psychiatry Fellowship Program, Jersey Shore University Medical Center, Neptune, NJ; associate professor of psychiatry and neurology, Hackensack Meridian School of Medicine, Nutley, NJ.

Dr. Aziz has no financial relationships with companies related to this material.

With three FDA-approved medications for alcohol use disorders and three FDA-approved medications for opioid use disorders, it can be hard to know where to start. Here we review the pros and cons of these six medications—and provide recommendations for their use in older adults.

Research Update

Are Higher-Potency Cannabis Products Riskier for Mental Illness?

April 1, 2023

Deepti Anbarasan, MD and John Wang, MD

John Wang, MD, and Deepti Anbarasan, MD. Dr. Wang and Dr. Anbarasan have no financial relationships with companies related to this material.

In recent years, cannabis with widely varying THC concentrations has become available. But is there a link between how much THC a cannabis product contains and its risk of adverse effects. Researchers here add to the mounting evidence that the answer is likely yes.

The Benzodiazepine-Stimulant Combo: What Could Go Wrong?

September 25, 2022

Chris Aiken, MD

Chris Aiken, MD. Editor-in-Chief, The Carlat Psychiatry Report. Practicing psychiatrist, Winston-Salem, NC. Dr. Aiken, author of this educational activity, has no relevant financial relationship(s) with ineligible companies to disclose.

Neurotoxicity, substance use disorders, even traffic accidents can arise from this controversial combination. We look at how to handle it in practice, including how to reduce the use and when the combination might be OK to continue.