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Article
Title	Evaluation and management of substance abuse emergencies
Author	Baron David, Garbely Joseph, Boyd Robert L
Article Information		Abstract
Publication	Primary Psychiatry	This article focuses on the clinical evaluation and initial treatment of patients with substance abuse problems who present to an emergency department. The importance of making an accurate differential diagnosis and consideration of all relevant biopsychosocial factors is highlighted. The authors offer a treatment algorithm for emergency department clinicians and psychiatrists working in an emergency department setting to consider when assessing patients with intoxication or withdrawal from drugs of abuse. As emergency departments serve an important triage function, level of care determinates are highlighted. Three important clinical federal guidelines developed by the Center for Substance Abuse Treatment are presented and discussed, which are relevant to all emergency department clinicians who evaluate patients who are intoxicated or in withdrawal. These include the following: First, never give medications to an intoxicated patient and immediately discharge them. Second, avoid discharging any intoxicated patient to the street. Last, differentiate between acute intoxication and withdrawal and assess the potential for self harm, intentional and non-intentional.
Reference	BUPP10108
Year	2009
Logged	03/03/2010
Volume	16
Part	9
Pages	41-47
ISSN	1082-6319
Keywords
Comparison Drug
Language	English