Addiction Medicine for Non-Specialists is a case-based CME course designed to guide non-specialists in recognition, evaluation, treatment, and follow-up of patients with substance use disorders. Led by Antoine Douaihy, MD, experienced practitioners cover substances used — alcohol, opioids, stimulants, benzodiazepines, tobacco/nicotine, cannabis — and outline how the non-specialist can help their patient stop using drugs, maintain a drug-free lifestyle, and function in family and in society. Treatment strategies discussed include pharmacological, cognitive-behavioral, and a combination of the two.

Learning Objectives

At the completion of this course, you should be able to:

• Discuss integrated treatment of co-occurring substance use disorder and psychiatric illness
• List adverse consequences faced by patients’ long-term opioid therapy and serious illness
• Explain the caveats in treating pregnant women with substance use disorder
• Compare treatment strategies for opioid use disorder and stimulant use disorder
• List the principles of motivational interviewing in the context of substance use disorders
• Compare inherent dilemmas in treating chronic pain and acute pain and substance use disorder

Intended Audience

This educational activity was designed for internists, family physicians, general psychiatrists, emergency physicians, adolescent medicine doctors, pediatricians, and general neurologists.

TOPICS / SPEAKERS