Mindfulness Reduces Smoking
Psychiatry Summary and Comment
As a stand-alone treatment, mindfulness training seems effective for smoking cessation.
By Deborah Cowley, MD
September 12, 2011
Covering:
Brewer JA et al., Drug Alcohol Depend 2011 Jun 30
Smoking Raises Surgical Risk
Hospital Medicine Summary and Comment
A retrospective analysis reveals that smokers have worse perioperative outcomes, but optimum timing for preoperative tobacco cessation remains unclear.
By Neil H. Winawer, MD, SFHM
September 1, 2011
Covering:
Turan A et al., Anesthesiology 2011 Apr; 114:837
Katznelson R and Beattie WS., Anesthesiology 2011 Apr; 114:734
Genetics of Psychosocial Stress–Induced Alcohol Consumption
Psychiatry Summary and Comment
In both mice and men, a risk allele of a circadian rhythm gene interacts with psychosocial stress to induce excessive drinking.
By Joel Yager, MD
August 29, 2011
Covering:
Dong L et al., Am J Psychiatry 2011 Aug 9
Spiritual Beliefs Associated with Better Drinking Outcomes
Psychiatry Summary and Comment
Changes in beliefs over 6 months predicted later improvement in alcohol dependence.
By Steven Dubovsky, MD
August 15, 2011
Covering:
Robinson EAR et al., J Stud Alcohol Drugs 2011 Jul; 72:660
Reviews of Note
Neurobiology of depression; treating refractory depression; adolescents with substance use disorders; gambling disorders; neurobiology of sleep and wakefulness; exercise to improve cognition; leptin, metabolism, and psychiatric disorders.
Drugs and Fatal Motor Vehicle Accidents
Psychiatry Summary and Comment
In 25% of fatal single-vehicle accidents, drivers tested positive for drugs, and stimulants especially contributed to fatal crashes, independent of blood alcohol level.
By Steven Dubovsky, MD
August 8, 2011
Covering:
Romano E and Voas RB., J Stud Alcohol Drugs 2011 Jul; 72:567
Patients Can Be Released Safely After Receiving Naloxone for Heroin Overdose
Emergency Medicine Summary and Comment
In more than 500 patients who received naloxone but refused transport after reversal, no deaths related to the incident overdoses occurred.
Low-Dose CT Screening Lowered Lung Cancer–Related Mortality
General Medicine Summary and Comment
Free
But false-positive computed tomography test results were common in a cohort of older smokers.
By Allan S. Brett, MD
July 14, 2011
Covering:
The National Lung Screening Trial Research Team., N Engl J Med 2011 Aug 4; 365:395
Sox HC., N Engl J Med 2011 Aug 4; 365:455
Cell Phone Text Messages Aid in Smoking Cessation
General Medicine Summary and Comment
Sample message: "TODAY is the start of being QUIT forever, you can do it! [sic]"
By Bruce Soloway, MD
July 14, 2011
Covering:
Free C et al., Lancet 2011 Jul 2; 378:49
Bennett DA and Emberson JR., Lancet 2011 Jul 2; 378:6
Do You Hallucinate with Those Double-Shot Espresso Extreme Energy Fusion Vente Jolts?
Psychiatry Summary and Comment
Free
In healthy individuals, hallucinatory symptoms are associated with high daily caffeine intake and high life-stress levels, especially when combined.
By Joel Yager, MD
July 11, 2011
Covering:
Crowe SF et al., Pers Individ Dif 2011 Apr; 50:626
The Latest Word on Pot and Susceptibility to Psychosis
Psychiatry Summary and Comment
A meta-analysis indicates a specific association between cannabis use and earlier onset of psychosis.
By Steven Dubovsky, MD
July 11, 2011
Covering:
Large M et al., Arch Gen Psychiatry 2011 Jun; 68:555
Smoking Raises Risk for Symptomatic Peripheral Artery Disease in Women
General Medicine Summary and Comment
However, PAD risk decreases with increasing duration of smoking abstinence.
Test for Illicit Drugs in Children Evaluated for Abuse or Neglect
Emergency Medicine Summary and Comment
Free
Fifteen percent of children evaluated for suspected maltreatment tested positive for illicit drugs; predictors included neglect, soft-tissue injuries and burns, public or no health insurance, parental drug abuse, and history of domestic violence.
By Katherine Bakes, MD
June 24, 2011
Covering:
Oral R et al., Pediatr Emerg Care 2011 Jun; 27:490
Varenicline: No Harm, but Little Benefit
Psychiatry Summary and Comment
Rates of adverse psychiatric reactions were similar with varenicline and placebo, but the abstinence rate was low.
By Steven Dubovsky, MD
June 13, 2011
Covering:
Garza D et al., Biol Psychiatry 2011 Jun 1; 69:1075
Does Cannabis Impair Cognition in Patients with Multiple Sclerosis?
Neurology Summary and Comment
Information-processing speed, executive function, and visuospatial perception were significantly worse among long-term cannabis users than among nonusers in a cross-sectional study of MS patients.
By Nadia Solowij, PhD
June 7, 2011
Covering:
Honarmand K et al., Neurology 2011 Mar 29; 76:1153
Secondhand Smoke in the Brain
Psychiatry Summary and Comment
Secondhand smoke has measurable and detrimental behavioral and neurobiological effects.
By Barbara Geller, MD
June 6, 2011
Covering:
Brody AL et al., Arch Gen Psychiatry 2011 May 2
"Bath Salts" Intoxication
Emergency Medicine Summary and Comment
Free
Investigation into a cluster of cases in Michigan leads to characterization of this new recreational drug.
By Diane M. Birnbaumer, MD, FACEP
June 3, 2011
Covering:
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)., MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep 2011 May 20; 60:624
Extended-Release Naltrexone Lowers Relapse Risk After Opioid Detoxification
General Medicine Summary and Comment
But this study did not use an active comparator and did not report posttreatment risks.
By Bruce Soloway, MD
May 31, 2011
Covering:
Krupitsky E et al., Lancet 2011 Apr 30; 377:1506
Wolfe D et al., Lancet 2011 Apr 30; 377:1468
Adult-Supervised Alcohol Use Doesn't Teach Adolescents to Drink Responsibly
Supervised use is associated with more alcohol-related harmful consequences in teens.
Cancer Attributable to Alcohol Consumption
General Medicine Summary and Comment
Overall, 10% of cancers in men and 3% in women were attributable to drinking.
Physiological Effects of Water-Pipe Tobacco Smoking
General Medicine Summary and Comment
Effects are similar to those of cigarette smoking.
By Bruce Soloway, MD
May 10, 2011
Covering:
Raad D et al., Chest 2011 Apr; 139:764
Hakim F et al., Chest 2011 Apr; 139:775
Incarceration and Adherence to HIV Treatment
The more times HIV-infected injection-drug users were incarcerated, the less likely they were to be adherent to their antiretroviral therapy.
By Claire E. Farel, MD, and David A. Wohl, MD
May 9, 2011
Covering:
Milloy MJ et al., J Infect Dis 2011 May 1; 203:1215
Examining the Tobacco–Tuberculosis Link
General Medicine Summary and Comment
In mice, cigarette smoke was associated with excess vulnerability to primary TB through a range of immune mediators.
By Abigail Zuger, MD
May 5, 2011
Covering:
Shang S et al., J Infect Dis 2011 May 1; 203:1240
Does Gambling Disorder Precede Other Psychiatric Disorders?
Psychiatry Summary and Comment
Pathological gambling may be a gateway disorder.
By Joel Yager, MD
May 2, 2011
Covering:
Chou K-L and Afifi TO., Am J Epidemiol 2011 Apr 5
COPD — Not Just in Smokers
General Medicine Summary and Comment
Among never-smokers, 12% had spirometric evidence of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
By Allan S. Brett, MD
April 28, 2011
Covering:
Lamprecht B et al., Chest 2011 Apr; 139:752
