Understand the scope of alcohol and cocaine use and their effects on ED visits;
Comprehend the various routes of administration and effects of alcohol ingestion;
Demonstrate knowledge of cocaine use and overdose interventions;
Understand recent ‘designer drugs’ and chemically modified narcotics.
Drug overdoses are routinely seen in trauma bays and emergency departments worldwide. The increasingly complex methods employed to develop and consume drugs make detection of side effects and potential interactions with other drugs difficult. Common substances of abuse are now being ingested in alternative, more hazardous ways, while designer drugs are being chemically modified to enhance their euphoric effects. These various modifications have rendered modern drug screening tests almost obsolete, placing medical professionals in a formidable position.