Three Yale faculty members have written a chapter in a book that highlights the problem of addiction in older adults.
Louis Trevisan, MD, Associate Professor of Psychiatry; Kevin Sevarino, MD, Assistant Clinical Professor of Psychiatry; and Isis Burgos-Chapman, MD, Assistant Clinical Professor of Psychiatry, wrote a chapter about the abuse of opioids and prescription medications in the book, "Addiction in the Older Patient."
According to a summary, the chapter aims to “identify and discuss the growing concerns regarding opioid use disorders and opioid misuse within the elderly population. Special focus is placed on identifying risk factors and how to effectively manage identified risks.”
Physiological changes associated with aging that make opioid abuse/misuse particularly concerning are summarized, and the role of opioids in pain management of elderly patients is explored, according to the summary.
The chapter concludes with brief treatment guidelines based on the most recently available evidence.
All three faculty members work or have worked at the VA Connecticut Healthcare System in West Haven.