- Epidemiology of and heritable risk factors for developing addictive disorders
- Dysregulated brain networks and neurochemical systems in several substance and nonsubstance addictions
- Treatment options for substance and nonsubstance addictions
- Updated with 2020 ASAM Practice Guidelines: Opioid Use Disorders
Latest Updates




Clinical Management of Drug Use Disorders
- Outlines updated DSM-5 classifications of substance use disorders
- Synthesizes current heritable and genetic factors in substance use disorders
- Reviews current treatment options with the strongest evidence base
- Updated with 2020 ASAM Practice Guidelines: Opioid Use Disorder


Clinical Management of Drug Use Disorders
- Outlines updated DSM-5 classifications of substance use disorders
- Synthesizes current heritable and genetic factors in substance use disorders
- Reviews current treatment options with the strongest evidence base
- Updated with 2020 ASAM Practice Guidelines: Opioid Use Disorder


Constipation: Diagnosis and Management
- Updated with 2019 CAG Practice Guidelines for IBS
- Added 2016 ASCRS Practice Guidelines for Constipation


- Cesarean delivery is a significant contributor to maternal morbidity and mortality. The rise in cesarean delivery has not been associated with a decrease in cerebral palsy in offspring.
- A multi-strategy quality improvement approach that accounts for fetal heart tracing assessment, progress in labor, and environmental stress may lead to a reduction in cesarean delivery rates.
- Many cesarean deliveries occur because of subjective interpretation of fetal heart rate tracings. Standardization of interpretation of fetal heart rate tracings using NICHD-endorsed terminology may help to decrease the incidence of cesarean for “nonreassuring” fetal heart tracings
- Allowing patience with the labor curve may achieve increased numbers of safe vaginal deliveries. Redefining arrest and protraction could potentially decrease the cesarean rate and the resultant morbidity. Of particular importance for clinicians, active labor may not begin until 6cm of cervical dilation, and before diagnosing arrest of labor in the second stage, providers should allow for at least 2 hours of pushing in multiparous women and 3 hours in nulliparous women. ACOG and SMFM also endorse longer second stages on an individualized basis.


Viral Hepatitis C: Epidemiology, Pathogenesis, Transmission, And Natural History
- Changing incidence and prevalence of HCV
- Increasing burden of HCV-related liver disease


- Advances are being made in the realm of treatment, including new short acting Granulocyte Colony Stimulating Factor medications, such as Neupogen (Filgrastim), Zarxio (Filgrastim-sndz), Fulphila (Pegfilgrastim-jmdb), and Leukine (Sargramostim) which have been FDA approved for treatment of severe neutropenia.
- Previously accepted policies due to "radiation phobia" by those in the scientific community were based on a linear-no threshold scale for radiation dose and the link to cancers such as leukemia. These scales continue to be discredited as being magnitudes lower than the observed rates of incidence. In current literature, scientists are challenging the idea that the dose threshold for exposure is as low as we accept right now (~ 100 mSV) and in fact are demonstrating that the increased risk for cancer development amongst individuals exposed to similar doses does not exist until a much higher radiation dose. Scientists will continue to follow this and establish an acceptable recommendations because of the ubiquitous nature of radiation exposure in our medical and industrial lives.
- Patients developing hematopoietic syndrome, or even simply anemia, after significant exposure to radiation requiring blood transfusion are at increased risk of developing Graft-versus-Host disease. Current guidelines state that, when possible, cellular transfusion products (i.e, whole blood, pRBCs) should be irradiated with at least 25 Gy prior to administration. The samples should also undergo leukocyte reduction as well. In situations of mass casualty incidents, guideline therapy may be adjusted based on the supply of blood available against the anticipated need for blood on mass scale.


- Epidemiology of and heritable risk factors for developing addictive disorders
- Dysregulated brain networks and neurochemical systems in several substance and nonsubstance addictions
- Treatment options for substance and nonsubstance addictions
- Updated with 2020 ASAM Practice Guidelines: Opioid Use Disorders