| Title | Management of injecting drug users admitted to hospital. | | Author(s) | Haber PS, Demirkol A, Lange K, Murnion B | | Institution | Drug Health Services, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Camperdown, and University of Sydney, Discipline of Addiction Medicine, Sydney, NSW, Australia. phaber@mail.usyd.edu.au | | Source | Lancet 2009 Oct 10; 374(9697):1284-93. | | MeSH | Algorithms
Breast Feeding
Comorbidity
Decision Trees
Evidence-Based Practice
Female
Harm Reduction
Hospitalists
Humans
Inpatients
Life Style
Mental Disorders
Pain
Patient Admission
Physician's Role
Practice Guidelines as Topic
Pregnancy
Substance Abuse, Intravenous
Substance Withdrawal Syndrome
| | Abstract | General hospital clinicians frequently deal with injecting drug users because substance use has diverse medical and psychiatric complications. Non-specialist clinicians often initiate management when specialist consultation is not available or accepted by the patient. Here, we summarise evidence for the management of hospitalised injecting drug users. The first challenge is to engage a drug user into medical care. A non-judgmental approach towards patients and acceptance of their lifestyle choices facilitates engagement. Pragmatic clinical goals can be negotiated and achieved. We also describe common conditions of injecting drug users. Accurate diagnosis and appropriate management focus on common issues such as intoxication, withdrawal, pain management, drug seeking, psychological comorbidity, behavioural difficulties, and pregnancy. Effective management can reduce the medical and social effect of these conditions and is not difficult. | | Language | eng | | Pub Type(s) | Journal Article
Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
Review
| | PubMed ID | 19819393 |
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