In this article we discuss a network sampling design that can be applied in drug abuse research at the community level. At this level often some partial sampling frame such as the register of a drug aid agency is available. This partial sampling frame can be used as the start of a network sample. Each selected registered drug abuser mentions his relationships with other drug abusers, and from t...

BACKGROUND The growing trends in opioid abuse, assessment of the abuse liability of prescription opioid products, and growing efforts by the pharmaceutical industry to develop 'abuse-resistant' formulations highlight a need to understand the features that make one product more 'attractive' than another to potential abusers. We developed a scale to measure the 'attractiveness' of prescription op...

the acute coronary syndrome due to the left main coronary artery (lmca) thrombosis is a clinically rare and catastrophic event.   we describe a young man ( smoker, alcoholic, and drug abuser) with a history of recent surgery and typical chest pain who had non-occlusive lmca thrombosis in coronary angiography. the thrombosis was successfully treated with two 180 µ/kg intracoronary boluses of ept...

BACKGROUND Many health professionals engage in providing health services for drug users; however, there is evidence of stigmatisation by some health professionals. Prescription drug misusers as a specific group, may also be subject to such judgment. This study aimed to understand issues for primary care health practitioners in relation to prescription drug misuse (PDM), by exploring the attitud...