Drug and Alcohol Abuse Reviews – Serie

Drug and Alcohol Abuse Prevention focuses on a key problem of our national welfare: the reduction of use and abuse of substances known to endanger health, such as alcohol, illicit drugs, and tobacco. With the number of deaths related to the consumption of alcohol in the US at 100,000 per year, the cost of addictions is predicted to rise to a staggering USD150 billion annually. Many strategies for preventing substance abuse are being applied by governmental agencies and healthcare providers to reduce addictions. This selection of concise reviews by leading experts - much of it gleaned from NIH-funded research - highlights specific methodologies and approaches targeted for selected populations, including: promotions and incentives in the workplace the cost of drugs in the context of economic change programs for cigarette, alcohol, and hard drug abuse prevention drug prevention in minority groups substance abuse problems among religious groups professing abstinence family treatment of alcoholism adolescent alcohol treatment training teachers for substance abuse prevention prevention of substance abuse in women programs for girls.Unique in scope and approach, this initial volume of Drug & Alcohol Abuse Reviews provides valuable new insight - to both professional and layperson alike - into this special set of problems confronting today's society.

Alcohol and other drugs of abuse are major factors in the development of liver disease. Cirrhosis of the liver from alcohol abuse causes thousands of deaths annually in the US. This, in turn, creates a higher demand for liver transplantation. Liver Pathology and Alcohol, the second volume in Humana's new Drug and Alcohol Abuse Reviews series, strives to create a better understanding of the mechanisms of alcohol-induced liver disease, and thus to significantly aid physicians and researchers in the prevention and treatment of liver damage. Chapters focus on a wide variety of topics related to hepatic disease caused by - or due in large part to - the abuse of alcohol and other substances. Topics include: the role of alcohol in changing nutrition direct nutritional effects of alcohol on the liver brain liver relationships generation of free radicals the role of free radicals in membrane changes, carcinogenesis, and lipid alterations liver adaptation to alcohol consumption influence of alcohol on skeletal muscle xanthine oxidase liver enzyme changes fetal alcohol syndrome other drugs of abuse, such as morphine, cocaine, marijuana, and caffeine.The prevalence of substance use and abuse in today's society suggests a steady increase in the incidence of liver disease - a major health problem that can only lessen if we become better able to understand and treat it. Ronald R. Watson's timely new volume on Liver Pathology and Alcohol makes a significant contribution to this process.

Drug Abuse Treatment, together with its companion volume, Alcohol Abuse Treatment, critically examines the many difficult issues and complex strategies associated with the successful treatment of substance abuse today. Because of the high cost in lives, health, and dollars, the need for improved tech-niques and strategies for the treatment and reduction of substance abuse has become a critical national priority. In this volume of Drug & Alcohol Abuse Reviews, Ronald R. Watson and key researchers in the field of drug abuse treatment evaluate both old and new methods, carefully reviewing current data to determine the value of the most important treatment programs in current use.Featured topics include: cocaine and heroin addiction treatment relapse problems and treatment nicotine abuse treatment strategy for drug treatment systems psychological correlates of drug abuse outpatient drug abuse treatment pharmacotherapy for drug abuse Drug Abuse Treatment and its complementary volume on Alcohol Abuse Treatment together offer a thorough review and analysis of drug and alcohol abuse treatment options, providing researchers and clinicians with a valuable framework for understanding, planning, and delivering the effective substance abuse treatment that is so urgently needed now.

Alcohol Abuse Treatment, together with its companion volume, Drug Abuse Treatment, critically examines the many difficult issues and complex strategies associated with the successful treatment of substance abuse today. Because of the high cost in lives, health, and dollars, the need for improved techniques and strategies for the treatment and reduction of substance abuse has become a critical national priority. In this volume of Drug & Alcohol Abuse Reviews, Ronald R. Watson and key researchers in the field of alcohol abuse treatment evaluate both old and new methods, carefully reviewing current data to determine the value of the most important treatment programs in current use. Featured topics include: psychosocial factors influencing alcohol use among adults and youth pharmacotherapy for alcohol abusers promising new themes in alcohol treatment clinical use of alcoholism treatment research role of hormones in behavioral treatment theories of alcohol intoxication nicotine as a cofactor in alcohol abusers.Alcohol Abuse Treatment and its complementary volume on Drug Abuse Treatment together offer a thorough review and analysis of drug and alcohol abuse treatment options, providing researchers and clinicians with a valuable framework for understanding, planning, and delivering the effective substance abuse treatment that is so urgently needed now.

In Addictive Behaviors in Women, leading experts from psychiatry, psychology, sociology, and social work concisely review the addictive process and the characteristic behaviors of women who are dependent on alcohol and/or drugs. Topics include why women smoke, the role of personality in female addiction, sexuality issues in chemically dependent women, dieting and alcohol use in women, alcohol's role in sexual assault, and the impact of drug abuse on the family and pregnancy. Addictive Behaviors in Women illuminates the causes and effects of the many lifestyle decisions women make that lead to addiction to drugs, work, sex, gambling, or to any of the many other elective aspects of our lives. It shows how addictive decisions can be avoided and/or treated, thereby making women's lives safer, more productive, and healthier.

In Alcohol and Hormones, leading researchers concisely review what is known about each human hormone system and how these systems are affected by alcohol use, to a lesser extent, other drugs of abuse. The contributors show clearly just how the body is regulated and how its normal functioning can be changed by alcohol. Major topics covered range from alcohol stress interactions and the effects of alcohol on vitamin A metabolism (fetal alcohol syndrome and neural tube development) to how alcohol blocks the release of various peptide hormones, to its effects on puberty-related events in the female. There are also articles about how alcohol affects the control of body temperature, the impact of alcohol on male sexual development during puberty, the role of TRH in alcohol use disorders, and the possibility for a neuroendocrinological component in alcoholism. Alcohol and Hormones will be of interest to biomedical and alcohol researchers, neurobiologists, endocrinologists, pharmacologists, psychiatrists, and some clinicians interested in a deeper understanding of the effects of alcohol on the body.

In Alcohol, Cocaine, and Accidents leading experts provide concise yet focused scientific reviews of the role of alcohol and cocaine in automotive, aviation, and aquatic accidents. The authoritative contributors present both applied research and epidemiological studies, with emphasis on the prevention of injuries through an increased use of appropriate educational labels, law enforcement, and personal and community based prevention programs. In addition to detailed topical coverage, the articles suggest prevention strategies and provide supporting data for the role of treatment in reducing accidents. Alcohol, Cocaine, and Accidents will be of interest to substance abuse researchers, law enforcement officials, treatment providers, policy makers, and legislators responsible for regulating alcohol and drug use, as well as safety issues in all areas of transportation.

This collection of concise and interdisciplinary scientific reviews examines key aspects of the role of alcohol in causing fetal damage during pregnancy. Important area reviewed include diagnosis and management of drug abuse during pregnancy, psychosocial factors that affect alcohol use by young adults, the role of cultural and ethnic groups in preventing abuse, and the training of health care personnel in prevention and treatment. Drug and Alcohol Abuse During Pregnancy and Childhood will be of interest to obstetricians/gynecologists, pediatricians, family medical doctors, health maintenance organizations, and those doing research on alcohol and its role in birth and neonatal defects.

In Alcohol, Cocaine, and Accidents leading experts provide concise yet focused scientific reviews of the role of alcohol and cocaine in automotive, aviation, and aquatic accidents.

Alcohol and other drugs of abuse cause significant physi­ ological changes, especially during development. Clearly, understanding of the role women must take in modifying their alcohol and drug use during pregnancy will facilitate changes in our cultural and educational practices that will help reduce fetal trauma from alcohol.

Although stress can further modify alcohol's effects on hormone production, it significantly causes most of alcohol's modi­ fications of the body to occur via changes in hormone production and secretion.

In Addictive Behaviors in Women, leading experts from psychiatry, psychology, sociology, and social work concisely review the addictive process and the characteristic behaviors of women who are dependent on alcohol and/or drugs.

A major national goal is to improve the health of the populace while advancing our opportunities to pursue happiness. Simulta­ neously, there are both increasing health costs and increasing demands that more be accomplished with less financial support. With the number of deaths attributable to drug abuse, especially of tobacco, in the US at about 250,000 per year, the annual cost of drug addiction is over $150 billion. Improved treatment methods can both reduce these costs and improve health by preventing the continued exposure of abusers to the toxic effects of alcohol and other drugs. This fourth volume of Drug and Alcohol Abuse Reviews focuses on the strategies currently thought best for the treatment of drugs of abuse. A variety of approaches to drug abuse treatment employ those psychosocial factors that are known to influence drug use in youth and adults. Although the main emphasis is on the treatment of illicit drug use, a major cofactor in damaging the health of drug users is nicotine (tobacco) addiction, whose treatment is also reviewed. And the roles of learning and outpatient services are shown to affect treatment significantly. Thus, the problems confronted and solutions used in drug abuse treatment have here been analyzed in concise reviews that deal with the evidence for today' s best hypotheses and conclusions. Some emphasis is also placed on reviewing new compounds used to prevent cocaine and opioid dependence.

A major national goal is to improve the health of the populace while advancing our opportunities to pursue happiness. Simulta­ neously, there are both increasing health costs and increasing demands that more be accomplished with less financial support. The number of deaths attributable to the consumption of alcohol in the US is about 100,000 per year, and the annual cost of this addiction is over $100 billion. Improved treatment methods can both reduce these costs and improve health by preventing the continued exposure of abusers to the toxic effects of alcohol. This third volume of Drug and Alcohol Abuse Reviews focuses on the strategies currently thought best for the treatment of alcohol and tobacco abuse. A variety of approaches to treating alcohol abuse employ those psychosocial factors that are known to influence alcohol use in youth and adults. Pharmacotherapy has also been evaluated at the National Institute of Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism by leaders in alcohol treatment research. One key review investigates forming a developmental framework for the treatment of adolescent alcohol abusers, a major challenge. Although the main emphasis is on the treatment of alcoholism, a major cofactor for many drug users is nicotine (tobacco) addiction, whose treatment is also reviewed. And the roles of learning and outpatient services are shown to affect treatment significantly. Thus, the problems confronted and solutions used in alcohol abuse treatment have here been analyzed in concise reviews that provide evidence for today's best hypoth­ eses and conclusions.

Alcohol and other drugs of abuse are major contributing factors to liver disease and its pathology. Alcoholic cirrhosis causes thousands of deaths each year in the United States, and encourages liver replacement. A better understanding of the mechanisms of liver pathology will significantly aid basic researchers and physicians in treating and preventing liver damage. This book is designed especially for those researchers wishing to understand alcoholic liver disease. Therefore the role of alcohol in changing nutrition and its nutritional effects on liver disease are reviewed. The generation of free radicals during alcohol use has been found to be an important cause of membrane changes, of cancer development, and of lipid alterations-and thus of liver pathology. In addition to alcohol, other drugs of abuse, including morphine, cocaine, marijuana, and caffeine have also been shown to be significant contributors to liver pathology. The prevalence of drug and alcohol use and abuse today means that liver disease will continue as a major social and medical problem. The explanation of its biological origins cannot fail to help us better understand and treat the disease in the years to come.