ACEP News

Striking rise in accidental marijuana poisonings

Tue, 28 May 2013 17:20:01 -0400

The number of unintentional marijuana poisonings in children rose markedly in Colorado after medical marijuana was decriminalized in 2009, with visits to one emergency department climbing from zero to 2.4% of all poisoning cases in just 2 years, according to a report published online May 27 in JAMA...

DEA bans 'bath salt' chemical

nmiller@frontlinemedcom.com — Fri, 26 Apr 2013 09:30:01 -0400

One of the main chemicals in synthetic stimulants sold as "bath salts" or "plant food" is now a Schedule I drug, the Drug Enforcement Administration has announced.

The ruling permanently places methylone (3,4-methylenedioxy-N-methylcathinone) in the most restrictive category...

Marijuana most popular drug of abuse among teens

a.ault@elsevier.com — Thu, 20 Dec 2012 12:10:01 -0500

WASHINGTON � Marijuana remains popular with U.S. teenagers, with steady and even rising rates of use, according to a key federal survey.

This year�s data from the annual Monitoring the Future survey found that marijuana was...

Beriplex outperforms plasma for rapid warfarin reversal

b.jancin@elsevier.com — Thu, 13 Dec 2012 15:35:01 -0500

DENVER � A four-factor prothrombin complex concentrate bettered plasma for urgent reversal of warfarin and other vitamin K antagonists in patients experiencing major bleeding.

Marketed as Beriplex, the product had a higher rate of INR reversal than did plasma at 30 minutes after the start of...

Prescription Drug Abuse Campaign Aims to Educate

d.brunk@elsevier.com — Sat, 06 Oct 2012 09:00:00 -0400

During every shift in the emergency department, Dr. Ryan A. Stanton encounters a handful of patients on chronic opioids seeking refills and another two or three seeking a prescription for pain medications even though they present with no acute medical emergency.

"We�d had to kick people out...

Include 'Legal Highs,' Designer Drugs in Screening

s.boschert@elsevier.com — Thu, 23 Aug 2012 13:00:01 -0400

STANFORD, CALIF. � Dr. Leslie Gee walked into a local smoke shop near Stanford in May 2012 and bought a packet of synthetic cannabinoids 7 months after California banned similar versions.

That�s just one of many designer drugs that adolescents are using and abusing, with effects that may mimic...

Bath Salts Seized, But Still No Antidote

n.miller@elsevier.com — Fri, 27 Jul 2012 14:05:01 -0400

The first-ever nationwide strike on the designer drug industry resulted in 90 arrests and the seizing of 5 million drug packets and more than $36 million in cash, according to the

U.S. Drug Enforcement...

Drugs of Abuse in Pregnancy

Fri, 20 Jul 2012 16:45:03 -0400

By Howard Roemer, M.D.; William Banner, M.D., PhD; Vern L. Katz, M.D.; and Michael Plinsky, M.D.

Drug abuse patients are often complex in their presentation and management, but those who are pregnant add distinct elements that further this complexity. The intent of this article is...

New Act Outlaws "Bath Salt" Compounds

michele.sullivan@elsevier.com — Mon, 16 Jul 2012 13:50:05 -0400

Designer stimulants are among the latest compounds to make the country�s Schedule 1 list of illegal drugs.

On July 9, President Obama signed into law the Synthetic Drug Abuse Prevention Act of 2012. The...

Acetaminophen Safe in Alcoholics, Analysis Suggests

s.boschert@elsevier.com — Tue, 05 Jun 2012 11:35:04 -0400

SAN DIEGO � Giving acetaminophen to patients who reported consuming ethanol did not adversely affect markers of liver damage in a meta-analysis of randomized, controlled trials.

"One of the questions we often get asked is the role of acetaminophen in patients with liver disease," said...