[Intravenous drug users in Iceland: Use of emergency departments, hospital admissions and mortality].

Introduction: Drug abuse is a significant contributor to premature disease and mortality. Drug users are less likely to attend traditional Primary Health Care and more likely to present to Emergency Departments with their problems. Drug users often present late for treatment and find difficult ot engage and follow through treatment in standard models of health services.

[Loperamide abuse - constipation or heart attack?].

Loperamide is a μ-opioid receptor agonist with antidiarrhoeal effects. It is considered to have a low abuse potential because of substantial first-pass metabolism and P-glycoprotein-mediated efflux at the level of the blood-brain barrier. Previous case reports have described that high dosage of loperamide can induce an opioid-like effect on the central nervous system.

Intravenous Use of Prescription Psychostimulants; A Comparison of the Pattern and Subjective Experience between Different Methylphenidate Preparations, Amphetamine and Cocaine.

Background/aims: Methylphenidate (MPH) has been the most commonly used intravenous (i.v.) substance in Iceland in recent years.

Prevalent intravenous abuse of methylphenidate among treatment-seeking patients with substance abuse disorders: a descriptive population-based study.

Objectives: Prescription rates of methylphenidate (MPH) are sharply rising in most Western countries. Although it has been reported that MPH has abuse potential, little is known about the prevalence of intravenous (IV) abuse of MPH. The aim of the study was to investigate the prevalence of IV MPH abuse among treatment-seeking IV substance abusers in Iceland.