Addiction medicine consults can reduce deaths in high-risk patients with substance use disorder

In-hospital habit medication consultations can scale back deaths in high-risk sufferers with substance use dysfunction, based on a brand new examine revealed within the Journal of Common Inner Medication by College of Pittsburgh physicians. This analysis is among the many first of its variety to indicate these consults are a life-saving intervention.

On this previous yr, extra folks have died from overdose deaths than ever earlier than. We all know that sufferers who die from overdoses continuously come into contact with the well being system. Prior to now, we frequently ignored substance use withdrawal or did not hyperlink sufferers to any substance use therapy throughout hospitalization. We repeatedly misplaced the chance to intervene throughout a time when sufferers usually have been extra amenable to assist. Having a hospital-based habit medication seek the advice of workforce is a hospital-level intervention that permits us to avoid wasting sufferers’ lives.”

Deanna Wilson, M.D., assistant professor of drugs and pediatrics, College of Pittsburgh Faculty of Medication and lead creator of the paper

The examine included greater than 700 high-risk sufferers who have been admitted to the hospital and have been identified with both alcohol or opioid use dysfunction. These sufferers obtained an habit medication session that related them to outpatient remedies, together with medicines, but additionally supplied a possibility to discuss their substance use in a compassionate and non-stigmatizing approach by educated members of the habit medication workforce.

Researchers discovered that amongst sufferers with opioid and alcohol use dysfunction, publicity to the habit medication seek the advice of workforce led to a considerably decreased threat of demise inside three months of discharge from the hospital. For sufferers with opioid use issues, remedy possible performed a big position in decreasing the danger of mortality. Nonetheless, the affect of remedy for sufferers with alcohol use dysfunction was much less prevalent, suggesting different parts of the seek the advice of workforce might play a key position.

Because the COVID-19 pandemic continues to surge all through the nation, overdose deaths and substance use are anticipated to extend, making the necessity for large-scale interventions much more necessary.

“Considering of outside-the-box options to assist folks with substance-use issues will grow to be ever extra pressing because the pandemic drags on,” Wilson continued. “We have to meet sufferers the place they’re and have conversations in a non-stigmatizing approach. The habit medication seek the advice of workforce is a supply mannequin that may be tailored to every well being system, can function a strategy to simply combine and provide efficient remedy and behavioral therapies as they’re developed, and has the potential to avoid wasting lives.”