Substance-Use Disorders in Critically Ill Patients: A Narrative Review

Abstract

Substance-use disorders (SUDs) represent a major public health concern. The increased prevalence of SUDs within the general population has led to more patients with SUD being admitted to intensive care units (ICUs) for an SUD-related condition or with SUD as a relevant comorbidity. Multiprofessional providers of critical care should be familiar with these disorders and their impact on critical illness. Management of critically ill patients with SUDs is complicated by both acute exposures leading to intoxication, the associated withdrawal syndrome(s), and the physiologic changes associated with chronic use that can cause, predispose patients to, and worsen the severity of other medical conditions. This article reviews the epidemiology of substance use in critically ill patients, discusses the identification and treatment of common intoxication and withdrawal syndromes, and provides evidence-based recommendations for the management of patients exposed to chronic use.