2022
Cardiac Surgeons’ Practices and Attitudes toward Addiction Care for Patients with Substance use Disorders
Tiako M, Mszar R, Brooks C, Bin Mahmood SU, Mori M, Vallabhajosyula P, Geirsson A, Weimer MB. Cardiac Surgeons’ Practices and Attitudes toward Addiction Care for Patients with Substance use Disorders. Substance Use & Addiction Journal 2022, 43: 206-211. PMID: 34038333, DOI: 10.1080/08897077.2021.1917475.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchMeSH KeywordsAttitude of Health PersonnelCardiologyHumansOpioid-Related DisordersRetrospective StudiesSubstance Abuse, IntravenousSurgeonsConceptsSubstance use disordersUse disordersCardiac surgeonsSurgeon's practiceAddiction careInjection drug useOpioid use disorderMultivariable logistic regressionCare of patientsQuarter of surgeonsMost hospital settingsMinority of surgeonsMost patientsInfective endocarditisHospital settingAddiction specialistsPatientsMost surgeonsIDUsAddiction servicesLogistic regressionMOUDHealth systemSurgeonsLack of education
2020
Cardiac Surgeons’ Treatment Approaches for Infective Endocarditis Based on Patients’ Substance Use History
Nguemeni Tiako M, Mszar R, Brooks C, Mahmood SUB, Mori M, Geirsson A, Weimer MB. Cardiac Surgeons’ Treatment Approaches for Infective Endocarditis Based on Patients’ Substance Use History. Seminars In Thoracic And Cardiovascular Surgery 2020, 33: 703-709. PMID: 33279690, DOI: 10.1053/j.semtcvs.2020.11.031.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchMeSH KeywordsEndocarditisEndocarditis, BacterialFemaleHumansMaleRetrospective StudiesSubstance Abuse, IntravenousSubstance-Related DisordersSurgeonsUnited StatesConceptsInjection drug use-associated infective endocarditisCardiac surgeonsTreatment approachesInfective endocarditisMethadone treatmentDrug use-associated infective endocarditisMost surgeonsAddiction treatmentLong-term outcomesNumber of surgeriesNon-Hispanic whitesSurvey response rateOperative managementRecurrent infectionsSubstance use historiesOperative approachNative valvePatientsPatient engagementClinical scenariosResponse ratePatients' substanceIDUsSurgeonsAnonymous survey
2016
A Chronic Opioid Therapy Dose Reduction Policy in Primary Care
Weimer MB, Hartung DM, Ahmed S, Nicolaidis C. A Chronic Opioid Therapy Dose Reduction Policy in Primary Care. Substance Use & Addiction Journal 2016, 37: 141-147. PMID: 26685018, DOI: 10.1080/08897077.2015.1129526.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsHigh-dose opioidsChronic opioid therapyOpioid therapyOpioid doseDose taperAcademic primary care clinicHigh-dose opioid therapyHigher opioid doseIntervention of educationOpioid dose reductionTotal opioid doseRetrospective cohort studyCharacteristics of patientsPrimary care clinicsOpioid use disorderMedication-assisted treatmentAverage daily doseOnly significant associationMorphine equivalentsOpioid dosesCohort studyPatient characteristicsDaily doseCare clinicsChronic pain
2013
Sex Differences in the Medical Care of VA Patients with Chronic Non‐Cancer Pain
Weimer MB, Macey TA, Nicolaidis C, Dobscha SK, Duckart JP, Morasco BJ. Sex Differences in the Medical Care of VA Patients with Chronic Non‐Cancer Pain. Pain Medicine 2013, 14: 1839-1847. PMID: 23802846, PMCID: PMC3866355, DOI: 10.1111/pme.12177.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsChronic opioid therapyPain-related diagnosesPrimary care utilizationChronic painOpioid therapyCare utilizationEmergency departmentGreater oddsSevere chronic non-cancer painFemale veteransChronic non-cancer painSex differencesNon-cancer painRetrospective cohort studyInflammatory bowel diseasePhysical therapy referralsLow back painVeterans Affairs systemMultivariate logistic regressionPain-related complaintsVA administrative dataMental health diagnosesSubstance use disordersMore pain conditionsMedical comorbiditiesPatterns of care and side effects for patients prescribed methadone for treatment of chronic pain.
Macey TA, Weimer MB, Grimaldi EM, Dobscha SK, Morasco BJ. Patterns of care and side effects for patients prescribed methadone for treatment of chronic pain. Journal Of Opioid Management 2013, 9: 325-33. PMID: 24353045, PMCID: PMC4001870, DOI: 10.5055/jom.2013.0175.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchMeSH KeywordsAdultAgedAnalgesics, OpioidChronic PainElectrocardiographyFemaleHumansMaleMethadoneMiddle AgedRetrospective StudiesConceptsChronic painSide effectsSingle VA medical centerInitiation of methadoneInsufficient pain reliefCardiac side effectsChronic pain patientsHealth service utilizationPatterns of careMedical record dataVA Medical CenterNew initiationOpioid initiationPain reliefPain patientsQTc prolongationSustained releaseService utilizationClinical dataClinical significanceMedical CenterCalendar year 2008PatientsClinical information systemsMethadone
2011
The Source of Methadone in Overdose Deaths in Western Virginia in 2004
Weimer MB, Korthuis PT, Behonick GS, Wunsch MJ. The Source of Methadone in Overdose Deaths in Western Virginia in 2004. Journal Of Addiction Medicine 2011, 5: 188-202. PMID: 21844834, PMCID: PMC3156987, DOI: 10.1097/adm.0b013e318211c56a.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsSource of methadoneOpioid treatment programsMethadone-related deathsOverdose deathsMethadone-related overdose deathsUnintentional poisoning deathsPrescription monitoring programsMajority of deathsCause of deathMedical examiner casesIllicit methadone useChief Medical ExaminerMethadone usePrescription opioidsPoisoning deathsNonprescription useMethadoneTreatment programNonmedical useDeathDecedentsMedical examinersRural VirginiaCurrent studyAnalgesia