Substance Use Disorders: Medical, Nursing and Counseling Behavioral Treatment

By Albert Anthony Rundio, Stephanie Brooks
“The Opioid Epidemic is one of the major events that has occurred in the United States during the past few years. Several factors have contributed to this epidemic. Accrediting bodies identifying pain as the 5th Vital Sign certainly addressed patient’s pain but also accelerated the use of prescription narcotic pain medications as first line therapy rather than utilizing other types of pharmacologic agents that are not narcotics as well as trying other non-pharmacologic interventions such as holistic health modalities. Dependent upon the type of narcotic pain medication prescribed, patients can develop a dependence upon the medication which then leads to addiction. Purchasing such medications can be rather expensive. Many patients then turn to purchasing less expensive drugs, such as Heroin, off of the street. Compounding the problem today is that much of the heroin is tainted with other drugs, such as Benzodiazepines and Fentanyl. Fentanyl is far more potent than heroin. The end result is that many youngpeople as well as older people are dying from overdoses. If someone is not available to administer Naloxone immediately the end result is death. There have been many strategies implemented by both the federal government and individual states governments to combat the opioid epidemic. Many states have implemented Prescription Drug Monitoring Programs (PDMP) that report the prescriptions for controlled substances that a patient purchases. Legislation has been passed to promote addiction treatment centers and medicated assisted treatment programs. Although there has been a noted decreased in opioid related deaths, there is still a long way to go to combat this epidemic. Care rendered to the patient with opioid substance use disorders needs to be interprofessional and inclusive of Medicine, Nursing, Counseling and other behavioral modalities. Such interprofessional care will yield the best treatment outcomes”–

The Opioid Epidemic: Causes, Consequences, and Solutions is an essential book for anyone seeking to understand the scope and complexity of the opioid crisis that has plagued the United States in recent years. Written by Albert Anthony Rundio and Stephanie Brooks, this comprehensive guide dives deep into the factors that have contributed to the epidemic and offers strategies for combatting it.

Over the past few years, the opioid epidemic has become one of the major events in the United States. One of the key factors that have fueled this crisis is the accreditation bodies’ identification of pain as the 5th Vital Sign. While this addressed the issue of patients’ pain, it also accelerated the use of prescription narcotic pain medications as first-line therapy. Instead of considering other pharmacologic agents or non-pharmacologic interventions, many healthcare professionals started relying heavily on narcotics. This overuse and reliance on prescription narcotics have led to dependence and addiction among patients.

Aside from the addictive nature of these medications, there is also the issue of affordability. Narcotic pain medications can be expensive, making it difficult for individuals to continue purchasing them legally. This has driven many patients to seek cheaper alternatives on the street, such as heroin. Tragically, much of the heroin available today is tainted with other drugs like benzodiazepines and fentanyl. Fentanyl, in particular, is significantly more potent than heroin, leading to a surge in overdose deaths among young and older individuals alike. Without immediate administration of naloxone, an antidote for opioid overdose, the outcome is often death.

Recognizing the severity of the crisis, both the federal and state governments have implemented various strategies to combat the opioid epidemic. Many states have established Prescription Drug Monitoring Programs (PDMP) to track the prescriptions of controlled substances. Additionally, legislation has been passed to promote addiction treatment centers and medicated assisted treatment programs.

While these interventions have shown some success in decreasing opioid-related deaths, there is still a long way to go. To effectively address the opioid crisis, it is imperative to provide interprofessional care that includes professionals from various fields like medicine, nursing, counseling, and behavioral modalities. This holistic approach will yield the best treatment outcomes and help individuals struggling with opioid substance use disorders reclaim their lives.

The Opioid Epidemic: Causes, Consequences, and Solutions offers a comprehensive overview of the opioid crisis, examining its origins, the contributing factors, and the various strategies being implemented to combat it. Albert Anthony Rundio and Stephanie Brooks provide a well-researched and informative analysis of this pressing issue, making this book a must-read for healthcare professionals, policymakers, and anyone interested in understanding and addressing the opioid epidemic.

Order your copy of The Opioid Epidemic: Causes, Consequences, and Solutions today to gain a deeper understanding of this crisis and contribute to the efforts of combating it. This digital eBook is 267 pages long and is available in English. The ISBN-10 is 1536182176, and the ISBN-13 is 978-1536182170.

Product Details

• Publisher ‏ : ‎ Nova Science Pub Inc; 1st edition (August 1, 2020)
• Language ‏ : ‎ English
• Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 267 pages
• ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1536182176
• ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1536182170