Management of Alcohol and Drug Problems

The Management of Alcohol and Other Drug Problems clearly and succinctly provides an up-to-date resource on this topic. It introduces the fundamentals of alcohol and drug misuse as applied to a clinical setting, complete with assessment, diagnostic, and management strategies and tools. The book is organised into four main parts: BLthe first part sets the context for drug use, including historical aspects, aetiology, assessment, and general treatment considerations BLthe second part provides details of drugs used, their pharmacology, epidemiology, and specific ways of assessing and treating the problems arising from misuse of each drug BLthe third part applies the knowledge gained so far by closely examining specific populations in which drug and alcohol issues are especially problematic BLthe last part is a concise review of specific issues that arise during clinical practice, including aspects of safe prescribing and clinical practice The book presents scholarly information in an understandable and readable format by Australian and New Zealand experts in the field and combines theory and clinical practice. Case histories are used to illustrate important clinical issues, and key practice points and further reading help to guide readers. The Management of Alcohol and Other Problems is written for medical practitioners in training, but is also intended as an evidence-based reference text for medical staff of all levels of experience.

Part 1: General Issues. 1: History of Drug Use and Drug Policy Responses, 2: Why Do People Use Drugs?, 3: Medical and Psychosocial Problems, 4: Assessment and Diagnosis, 5: Identifying Treatment Options, Part 2: Specific Substances. 6: Opioids, 7: Tobacco, 8: Central Nervous System Stimulants, 9: Cannabis, 10: Alcohol, 11: Sedative-Hypnotics, 12: Hallucinogens, Part 3: Specific Populations. 13: The Injecting Drug User, 14: The Poly-Drug User, 15: Adolescence, 16: Women and Substance Abuse, 17: An Approach to Substance Misuse Problems among Indigenous Australians, 18: Working with Maori who have Alcohol and Drug-Related Problems, 19: The Elderly, 20: Coexisting Alcohol and Drug Use and Mental Health Disorders, 21: Professional Issues