Publications by authors named "E M McNeilage-Van de Wiele"
Background: Drug-seeking behavior (DSB) is common in the Emergency Department (ED), yet the literature describing DSB in the ED consists predominantly of anecdotal evidence.
Study Objectives: To perform a case-control study examining the relative frequency of DSB in suspected drug-seeking patients as compared to all ED patients.
Methods: We performed a retrospective chart review of 152 drug-seeking patients and of age- and gender-matched controls, noting which of the following behaviors were exhibited during a 1-year period: reporting a non-narcotic allergy, requesting addictive medications by name, requesting a medication refill, reporting lost or stolen medication, three or more ED visits complaining of pain in different body parts, reporting 10 out of 10 pain, reporting > 10 out of 10 pain, three or more ED visits within 7 days, reporting being out of medication, requesting medications parenterally, and presenting with a chief complaint of headache, back pain, or dental pain.
Background: Narcotic bowel syndrome is characterized by chronic or recurrent abdominal pain associated with escalating doses of narcotic pain medications. It may occur in as many as 4% of all patients taking opiates, and yet few physicians are aware that the syndrome exists.
Objectives: The objectives of this case report are to raise awareness of narcotic bowel syndrome among emergency physicians, as well as review the clinical features, diagnosis, pathophysiology, and emergency department (ED) management of the syndrome.