In emergency departments, psychiatrists are often consulted on patients presenting with agitation. In many cases, these patients are under the influence of substances—either from intoxication or withdrawal.

We are in the middle of an opioid crisis in the US, with many lives lost daily to opioid-related deaths. Pharmacotherapy with methadone, buprenorphine, or naltrexone represents an important tool for clinicians during this crisis. But just how good are these medications in saving lives? A recent retrospective cohort study evaluated the effects of methadone, buprenorphine, and naltrexone on all-cause and opioid-related mortality in the 12 months after an opioid overdose.

How much can our older patients safely drink? And what does “safe” or “low-risk” drinking actually mean? The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA), which is the branch of the NIH that focuses on problems related to alcohol, has released guidelines for low-risk drinking limits in older patients.