The post-test for this issue is available for one year after the publication date to subscribers. By successfully completing the test you will be awarded a certificate for 2 CME credits.

A recent study in The Lancet appears to conclude that Vivitrol (extended release naltrexone) and Suboxone (buprenorphine/naloxone) are equally effective treatments for patients with opioid use disorders (Lee JD et al, The Lancet 2018;391(10118):309–318)—at least this is how the study has generally been reported.

Gabapentin (Neurontin) is a “novel anticonvulsant” and is FDA indicated for partial seizures and post-herpetic neuralgia. But the drug has long been heavily marketed to psychiatrists to treat a range of conditions from bipolar disorder to anxiety to alcohol withdrawal

As clinicians, we’re more interested in preventing excessive drinking than curing hangovers. But it’s always nice to have some helpful advice for patients, which we found in a recently published literature review of clinical trials of hangover treatments.

A challenging barrier for patients with opi­oid use disorders is the discomfort that can occur during the “induction phase” of their treatment, which is the period between discontinuation of opioids and initiation of medication-assisted therapy (MAT).

The post-test for this issue is available for one year after the publication date to subscribers. By successfully completing the test you will be awarded a certificate for 1 CME credit.

After reading these articles, you should be able to…

We’re pleased to introduce Kirk J. Brower, MD, as the new editor-in-chief of The Carlat Addiction Treatment Report. Dr. Brower is a professor in the Department of Psychiatry at the University of Michigan (UM) Medical School. He graduated from medical school at the University of California at Irvine, and completed his residency in psychiatry at UCLA.

In this article, I’ll start by briefly outlining what the research tells us about the risks of substance use to the fetus. The more informed you are about these risks, the more persuasive and helpful you can be to patients. I’ll then move on to discussing how, as an OB/GYN, I approach the evaluation and treatment of these patients, emphasizing issues of interest to clinicians.