Drugs of Abuse: Everything Old Is New Again

Remaining abreast of emerging drugs of abuse continues to challenge emergency practitioners. Many novel psychostimulants have emerged in the past decade, from amphetamine-like stimulants to Ecstasy-like empathogens. Dr. Bernstein, of Florida’s Poison Control Center, explains the prevalence in the pediatric population of new and evolving drugs of abuse, summarizes the pharmacology of various drug classes and discusses appropriate treatment based on drug class. 

Target Audience

Pediatricians, Internists, Hospitalists, Pediatric Emergency Medicine Physicians, Emergency Medicine Physicians, Nurses, Nurse Practitioners, Pharmacists and related members of the hospital care team.

Learning Objectives

  • Recognize the prevalence of poisonings in children, adolescents and teens that are caused by drugs of abuse.
  • Classify new and evolving drugs of abuse, and summarize their pharmacology.
  • Identify patients presenting with exposure to a drug of abuse by recognizing the drug class, and provide safe and effective treatment.
Additional information
Bibliography: 
  • Nelson, M. E., Bryant, S. M., & Aks, S. E. (2014). Emerging drugs of abuse. Emergency medicine clinics of North America, 32(1), 1-28.
  • Liechti, M. E. (2015). Novel psychoactive substances (designer drugs): overview and pharmacology of modulators of monoamine signalling. Swiss medical weekly, 145, w14043.
  • Iversen, L., White, M., & Treble, R. (2014). Designer psychostimulants: pharmacology and differences. Neuropharmacology, 87, 59-65.
Course Summary
Available credit: 
  • 1.00 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™
  • 1.00 General certificate of attendance
  • 1.00 Nurse Practitioners
  • 1.00 Florida Board of Nursing
  • 1.00 Florida Board of Pharmacy
Course opens: 
06/01/2017
Course expires: 
06/01/2019

Jeffrey N. Bernstein, M.D.
Medical Director
Florida Poison Information Center
Miami, Florida

Jeffrey N. Bernstein, M.D., indicated that neither he nor his spouse/partner has relevant financial relationships with commercial interest companies, and he will not include off-label or unapproved product usage in his presentations or discussions.

Non-faculty contributors and others involved in the planning, development and editing/review of the content have no relevant financial relationships to disclose.

Disclosure Policy and Disclaimer

Baptist Health South Florida is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) to provide continuing medical education for physicians. Baptist Health has been re-surveyed by the ACCME and awarded Commendation for 6 years as a provider of CME for physicians.
             
Baptist Health South Florida designates this enduring material for a maximum of 1 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.

Available Credit

  • 1.00 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™
  • 1.00 General certificate of attendance
  • 1.00 Nurse Practitioners
  • 1.00 Florida Board of Nursing
  • 1.00 Florida Board of Pharmacy
Please login or register for a Baptist Health CME account to take this course.

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