Opioid Education and Nasal Naloxone Rescue Kits in the Emergency Department Western Journal of Emergency Medicine Surgery and Emergency Medicine were the first disciplines to pursue SBIRT; this feature provides a similar, new and logical initiative for pursuit in emergency departments. Emergency Departments (EDs) may be high-yield venues to address opioid deaths with education on both overdose prevention and appropriate actions in a witnessed overdose. In addition, the ED has the potential to equip patients with nasal naloxone kits as part of this effort. The authors evaluated the feasibility of an ED-based overdose prevention program and described the overdose risk knowledge, opioid use, overdoses, and overdose responses among participants who received overdose education and naloxone rescue kits (OEN) and participants who received overdose education only (OE).
Acute Hyperkinetic Syndrome Due to Ephedrone Abuse Journal of Addiction Medicine (free ASAM member resource) A case study provides demonstration of a recently-arisen risk, that of manganese poisoning in association with methcathinone HCL use. A 32-year-old drug-addicted man with acute gait disturbances after ephedrone injections was presented. Choreic movements, severe postural instability, and “cock-walk” gait were observed. Magnetic resonance imaging T1 images showed high signal intensity of white matter in the basal ganglia and pituitary gland, and T2 images showed decreased signal mostly of globus pallidus with decreased N-acetylaspartate and choline levels in MR spectroscopy.
Portrayal of Alcohol Intoxication on YouTube Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research This is the corollary to the article below from JAMA Pediatrics, on television cueing of alcohol use. Internet videos depicting alcohol intoxication are heavily viewed. Nearly half of these videos involve a brand-name reference. While these videos commonly juxtapose alcohol intoxication with characteristics such as humor and attractiveness, they infrequently depict negative clinical outcomes. The popularity of this site may provide an opportunity for public health intervention.
Regular Deadline for Board Certification Exam Fast Approaching American Board of Addiction Medicine The American Board of Addiction Medicine is offering its board certification exam on October 17, 2015. The regular deadline to apply to take the exam is April 30, while the final deadline is July 1. Physicians from many medical fields specialize in addiction, and a formal training and certification pathway for them is essential. Become board-certified this year!
Support the Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act (CARA)! ASAM Lend your voice to support federal legislation to reduce criminalization of addiction and improve prevention, treatment and recovery services. On Wednesday, April 29, call your Senators and Representative and ask them to co-sponsor the Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act (CARA), a bill that will advance evidence-based law enforcement and health care services, including treatment, to help stop and reverse the twin epidemics of opioid and heroin addiction in the U.S.
Cued Recall of Alcohol Advertising on Television and Underage Drinking Behavior JAMA Pediatrics The association of underage drinking with risk-taking behavior has been amply demonstrated by many investigators, notably Marc Schuckit; this featured study effectively demonstrates an advertising linkage for television, which begs the question of the possible influence of internet advertising. Receptivity to television alcohol advertising predicted the transition to multiple drinking outcomes. The findings are consistent with the idea that marketing self-regulation has failed to keep television alcohol advertising from reaching large numbers of underage persons and affecting their drinking patterns. The old adage that “...even bad publicity is better than no publicity,” may have a paradoxical corollary: that bad publicity is even better than good publicity.
Misdiagnosis and Missed Diagnoses in Foster and Adopted Children with Prenatal Alcohol Exposure Pediatrics Within this clinical sample, 86.5% of youth with FASD had never been previously diagnosed or had been misdiagnosed. These high rates of missed diagnoses and misdiagnosis have significant implications for intervention and therapeutic services. The implications for prevalence are staggering, and this may become a tipping-point study in public health.
Social Anxiety and Peer Helping in Adolescent Addiction Treatment Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research The developmental need to fit in may lead to higher alcohol and other drug use among socially anxious youths which exacerbates the drink/trouble cycle. In treatment, youths with social anxiety disorder (SAD) may avoid participating in therapeutic activities with risk of negative peer appraisal. Peer-helping is a low-intensity, social activity in the 12-step program associated with greater abstinence among treatment-seeking adults. This study examined the influence of SAD on clinical severity at intake, peer-helping during treatment, and outcomes in a large sample of adolescents court-referred to residential treatment. The behavioral pattern of SAD is particularly reminiscent of accounts by many patients with alcohol use disorder, of their childhoods.
Who Uses the Most Marijuana — and What it Means for Legalization Vox The most frequent marijuana users aren't college-educated hipsters but rather people without any college education, suggesting that changes in pot policy can have the largest impact on economically vulnerable populations. This is a useful lay article in guiding interventional efforts.
ASAM’s 46th Annual Conference a Success! ASAM Thank you to those who attended ASAM’s 46th Annual Conference in Austin. There were brand new education opportunities, as well as some old standbys. This year, ASAM partnered with Shatterproof to offer attendees a chance to rappel off the side of the Hilton to raise money for addiction. The conference also featured an abundance of networking activities. Check out highlights below, and see you next year in Baltimore!
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The views and positions of any content published in ASAM Weekly are not necessarily endorsed by ASAM nor a reflection of ASAM's beliefs and policies. The features are presented as a summary of the contemporary issues being represented and expressed in scientific, governmental, commercial, and media sources across the specialty field of addiction medicine. Contact ASAM Weekly with any comments or feedback.