Background: While prescription opioids have a role in treating certain pain conditions, their injudicious use has led to an epidemic with myriad adverse outcomes. We sought to evaluate the association of socioeconomic and racial disparities with healthcare utilization and outcomes in opioid overdose related hospitalizations using National Inpatient Sample (NIS) database from 2012 through 2014. [...]

Background: An estimated 68,000 Americans died of opioid-related overdoses between March 2017-2018. In Monroe County NY heroin/fentanyl deaths are up 200% from 2015- 2017. Guidelines recommending naloxone co-prescription for high-risk patients on opioid pain medications have been issued. The inpatient setting provides unique opportunities for identifying patients at risk for opioid adverse events (OAE) and [...]

Background: Drug overdose deaths are increasing throughout the country. Increasing naloxone availability is a cost-effective way to prevent opioid-related deaths. High-risk patients admitted in the hospital may benefit from a take-home naloxone prescription. This study aims to assess naloxone prescribing practices upon hospital discharge. Methods: An anonymous survey was distributed to attendings, residents, and advanced [...]

Case Presentation: The patient is a 13-year-old female with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and depression who presented following an intentional overdose of her lisdexamfetamine (Vyvanse™). She admitted to taking 15 – 40mg tablets in addition to 5 tablets of an unknown, over the counter sleep aid. She developed dizziness and mild non-radiating substernal chest pressure 10-15 [...]

Case Presentation: 57-year-old male with type II Diabetes on insulin therapy and depression, with prior suicidal attempts on opioids presented to the Emergency Department (ED) after an intentional injection of 320 Units of glargine. His home medications were glargine 20 U daily and metformin 500 mg twice a day. On arrival to the ED, he [...]

Case Presentation: A 53-year-old African American woman with a history of systemic lupus erythematosus, refractory hypertension, and cerebrovascular accident, was found unresponsive and hypotensive at home. On presentation, the patient was drowsy but arousable and oriented to person, place and time. Vitals were notable for sinus bradycardia (50s) and hypotension (SBP in 90s). She was [...]

Case Presentation: A 58-year-old man presented with two days of confusion, tremors and seizures. Past medical history included schizophrenia, epilepsy, HCV infection and right hemiparesis due to ischemic strokes. He initiated dasabuvir, ombitasvir, paritaprevir and ritonavir (Viekira Pak) three days earlier. His epilepsy had been well controlled on lamotrigine for years. Review of systems was [...]