5 jan 2015

OBJECTIVE: To review the use of buprenorphine for opioid-addicted patients in primary care. QUALITY OF EVIDENCE: The MEDLINE database was searched for literature on buprenorphine from 1980 to 2009. Controlled trials, meta-analyses, and large observational studies were reviewed. MAIN MESSAGE: Buprenorphine is a partial opioid agonist that relieves opioid withdrawal symptoms and cravings for 24 hours or longer. Buprenorphine has a much lower risk of overdose than methadone and is preferred for patients at high risk of methadone toxicity, those who might need shorter-term maintenance therapy, and those with limited access to methadone treatment...

The relationship between gender, violence, and substance use in the emergency department (ED) is complex. This article examines the role of gender in the intersection of substance use and three types of violence: peer violence, intimate partner violence, and firearm violence. Current approaches to treatment of substance abuse and violence are similar across both genders; however, as patterns of violence and substance abuse differ by gender, interventions may be more effective if they are designed with a specific gender focus...