This book fills a gap in the existing medical literature by providing a best-practice approach
to the evaluation and acute treatment of patients presenting for emergency care with
identifiable substance use and or co-occurring psychiatric disorders. As the first
interdisciplinary book to integrate psychiatric and emergency care the text uniquely covers a
myriad of serious medical conditions acute mental status and dangerous behavioral
abnormalities. The book focuses on guidelines that support emergency room physicians with
little formal medical training in addiction medicine. The first section focuses on the
diagnosis and management of substance-specific intoxication and withdrawal states as well as
common medical co-morbidities and disposition considerations. The book lends particular
attention to the identification and stabilization of high risk medical conditions associated
with each substance of abuse. The second section is psychiatrically focused addressing the
most common psychiatric symptoms and syndromes their association with SUDs an approach to
differential diagnosis and discussion of crucial treatment considerations for both safe ED
management and post-ED disposition. A final section includes other pertinent topics for
example the assessment of patient safety responding to the medication-seeking patient
assessment and treatment of pregnant patients and working with adolescents and their families
around substance use. Substance Use and The Acute Patient is a unique and valuable contribution
to the literature for both consulting psychiatrists emergency medicine specialists addiction
medicine specialists and all other medical professionals who provide care for these most
complex and underserved patients.
