emergency department Archives

The Authors’ Own Words: Mortality risk in a sample of emergency department patients who use cocaine with alcohol and/or cannabis

Jan 17, 2020 by AMERSA

The Authors’ Own Words:

We ask authors to describe their impressions regarding the implications of their accepted work, how their findings will change practice, and what is noteworthy about the work.

Mortality risk in a sample of emergency department patients who use cocaine with alcohol and/or cannabis

Devin Gilmore, MA; Jennifer Zorland, PhD, CPH; Joanna Akin, MSPH; J. Aaron Johnson, PhD; James G. Emshoff, PhD; & Gabriel P. Kuperminc, PhD

Substance Abuse Vol. 39, Iss. 3, 2018

“Few studies have examined the association between polydrug use and mortality, especially cocaine-related mortality. The present study helps advance understanding of this issue through examination of the mortality risk of substance users presenting to two urban emergency departments. Analysis revealed significantly elevated mortality risk for users of the cocaine-cannabis combination, suggesting this combination may present a greater risk to physical health than use of either drug alone. These results inform practice by helping clinicians more completely understand and explain the risks posed by polydrug cocaine/cannabis use.”

The Authors’ Own Words: The Care of Patients Using Methamphetamine in the Emergency Department: Perception of Nurses, Residents, and Faculty

Nov 12, 2019 by AMERSA

The Authors’ Own Words:

We ask authors to describe their impressions regarding the implications of their accepted work, how their findings will change practice, and what is noteworthy about the work.

The Care of Patients Using Methamphetamine in the Emergency Department: Perception of Nurses, Residents, and Faculty

John R. Richards, MD; J. Adam Hawkins, DO; Eric W. Acevedo, RN; Erik G. Laurin, MD

Substance Abuse Vol. 40, Iss. 1, 2019

“Methamphetamine use has been associated with serious medical problems such as myocardial infarction, heart failure, and stroke, and psychiatric issues such as acute psychosis, paranoia, and violent behavior. In this study, the medical personnel caring for these patients in the emergency department were surveyed and compared regarding their perception of the methamphetamine problem, resource utilization by these patients, and treatment preferences. The results confirm methamphetamine-using patients were frequently encountered, required high levels of care, and were often implicated in violence directed toward nurses and physicians. This study provides further evidence of the burden of methamphetamine use on society, emergency medical services, hospital resources, and the difficulties in caring for these patients due to the potential for unpredictable behavior.“

The Authors’ Own Words: Use of non-face-to-face modalities for emergency department screening, brief intervention, and referral to treatment (ED-SBIRT) for high-risk alcohol use: a scoping review

Nov 8, 2019 by AMERSA

The Authors’ Own Words:

We ask authors to describe their impressions regarding the implications of their accepted work, how their findings will change practice, and what is noteworthy about the work.

Use of non-face-to-face modalities for emergency department screening, brief intervention, and referral to treatment (ED-SBIRT) for high-risk alcohol use: a scoping review

Brian J. Biroscak, PhD, MS, MA; Michael V. Pantalon, PhD; James D. Dziura, PhD, MPH; Denise P. Hersey, MLS, MA; Federico E. Vaca, MD, MPH

Substance Abuse Vol. 40, Iss. 1, 2019

“To our knowledge, this review represents the first catalogue of the scope of strategies and outcomes in ED-SBIRT studies that employed non-face-to-face modalities for high-risk alcohol use. This review reveals that there is an opportunity for substance use disorder researchers to explore ED-SBIRT for high-risk alcohol use among older patients as well as for the specific needs of female ED patients. Also, there is an opportunity for additional investigation into ED-SBIRT for high-risk alcohol use among non-English-speaking patients—a line of research particularly well-suited for non-face-to-face modalities such as tablet-based screening and brief intervention in a patient’s native language. The recommendations contained within this scoping review can be the start of an agenda for improving the conduct and reporting of ED-SBIRT research that employs non-face-to-face modalities.”