Publications by authors named "T Drvar"

BACKGROUND The incidence of drug-induced infectious endocarditis is rapidly rising in the United States. Healthcare providers face different challenges in the management of infectious endocarditis in persons who inject drugs, including addiction relapse, non-compliance with treatment, and the associated social stigma. These factors collectively complicate the management of drug-induced endocarditis, requiring comprehensive strategies that address both the medical condition and the underlying substance use disorder, as well as socio-behavioral aspects of patient care.

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Figure Legends Corrected: Figure 1. Intraoperative transesophageal echocardiogram, midesophageal right ventricular infow-outflow view, initial operation September 2018. Figure 2.

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BACKGROUND Intravenous drug use is an epidemic in the United States. One of the complications of intravenous drug use can be infective endocarditis. The treatment for this disease is a combination of intravenous antibiotics, cardiac surgery consultation, and multidisciplinary psychiatric care.

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Background: The incidence of infective endocarditis (IE) and other systemic bacterial infections is increasing, and people who inject drugs (PWID) have higher rates of discharge against medical advice (AMA) for these infections than patients whose infections are not injection-related. In this study, we characterize factors that contribute to AMA hospital discharge among PWID.

Methods: We conducted qualitative interviews with twenty PWID hospitalized with serious injection-related bacterial infections in West Virginia.

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Intentional ingestion of foreign objects, a form of self-injurious behavior, is rarely discussed in the medical literature but often requires extensive evaluation, management, and resources. It can be especially problematic for gastroenterologists, who are often consulted for removal of the foreign body. Pica is the psychiatric diagnosis for intentional ingestion of nonnutritive objects and is most commonly seen in prison inmates and those diagnosed with intellectual disability or psychiatric illness.

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