Chronic Drug Use and Abdominal Pain

Abstract

There are a variety of gastrointestinal pathologies that may be emergently identified in the patient who chronically uses alcohol or other substances. Patients may present to an Emergency Department with abdominal complaints existing on a spectrum from vague and benign to systemically toxic and potentially life-threatening. This article highlights ethanol, opioids, and other common substances of abuse and how they may contribute to gastrointestinal complaints.

Keywords: Alcohol use disorder; Chronic drug use; Gastrointestinal emergencies; Hepatotoxicity; Opioid use disorder.