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Alcohol use in opioid agonist treatment
Seonaid Nolan1,2, Jan Klimas3,4, Evan Wood3,5
1British Columbia Centre for Excellence in HIV/AIDS, St. Paul's Hospital, 608-1081 Burrard Street, Vancouver, BC, V6Z 1Y6, Canada. seonaidn@gmail.com.
Addiction Science & Clinical Practice
|December 10, 2016
Summary
Alcohol misuse is common in patients treated for opioid use disorder. This review explores dual diagnosis challenges and management strategies for better patient care.
Area of Science:
- Addiction Medicine
- Clinical Psychology
- Public Health
Background:
- Alcohol misuse frequently co-occurs with opioid use disorder (OUD).
- Dual diagnosis complicates treatment, as some OUD therapies may be unsuitable with alcohol use.
- Significant morbidity and mortality are linked to co-occurring alcohol and opioid use disorders.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review current research on alcohol misuse in OUD patients.
- To characterize the prevalence, clinical impact, and management of dual diagnosis.
- To identify research gaps and future directions for managing co-occurring alcohol and OUD.
Main Methods:
- Systematic literature review.
- Synthesis of existing research findings.
- Characterization of prevalence and clinical implications.
Main Results:
- Alcohol misuse is prevalent in individuals receiving agonist treatment for OUD.
- Effective individual disorder treatments exist, but dual diagnosis management is less understood.
- Specific challenges arise from potential contraindications of OUD treatments in patients with alcohol use.
Conclusions:
- Further research is crucial for effective dual diagnosis management.
- Developing integrated care strategies is essential for this patient population.
- Addressing alcohol misuse in OUD patients can improve health outcomes and reduce mortality.
Keywords:
Alcohol misuseAlcohol useAlcohol use disorderBuprenorphine/naloxoneMethadoneOpioid agonist treatmentMore Related Videos
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