Co-occurring Hepatitis C, substance use, and psychiatric illness: treatment issues and developing integrated models of care.

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is transmitted by injection drug use and associated with psychiatric conditions. Patients with drug use or significant psychiatric illness have typically been excluded from HCV treatment trials noting the 1997 National Institutes of Health Consensus Statement on HCV that indicated active drug use and major depressive illness were contraindications to treatment of HCV infection. However, the 2002 NIH Consensus Statement recognized that these patients could be effectively treated for HCV infection and recommended that treatment be considered on a case-by-case basis.

Interventions for metabolic and endocrine complications of human immunodeficiency virus/acquired immune deficiency syndrome and illicit drug use.

Illicit drug use and concurrent infection with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) are associated with metabolic and endocrine complications that may include lipid, carbohydrate, and endocrine metabolism disorders and nutritional deficiencies. Interventions for these metabolic and endocrine complications range from micronutrient supplementation to hormone-replacement therapy. We present the current strategies for the management of metabolic and endocrine disorders of HIV/acquired immunodeficiency virus and drug use.

Clinical consequences of marijuana.

As documented in national surveys, for the past several years, marijuana has been the most commonly abused drug in the United States, with approximately 6% of the population 12 years and older having used the drug in the month prior to interview. The use of marijuana is not without significant health hazards. Marijuana is associated with effects on almost every organ system in the body, ranging from the central nervous system to the cardiovascular, endocrine, respiratory/pulmonary, and immune systems.