This session provides a focused overview of emerging synthetic opioids, with particular emphasis on nitazenes in the illicit drug supply, including key concepts in epidemiology and pharmacology, aligned with the ACAAM National Addiction Medicine Didactic Curriculum and ABPM content areas.
What This Covers • Epidemiology, pharmacology, and increasing prevalence of emerging synthetic opioids • Clinical features of nitazene exposure, including high potency and overdose risk • Challenges in detection and interpretation of toxicology results • Patterns of co-occurring substance use involving synthetic opioids • Additional considerations related to substances such as xylazine and medetomidine in evolving drug trends • Recognition and management of overdose, including appropriate use of naloxone • Application of evidence-based strategies to initiate and manage treatment for opioid use disorder in the context of emerging substances
How This Resource Is Used This session is designed for on-demand learning and targeted content review. It can be used to reinforce specific knowledge areas or as part of structured board preparation.
Edwin A. Salsitz, MD DFASAM
Dr. Salsitz is an Associate Clinical Professor of Psychiatry at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai and a physician specializing in addiction medicine. He is board certified in both Internal Medicine and Addiction Medicine and has over three decades of clinical experience in the treatment of substance use disorders.
He received his medical degree from the State University of New York at Buffalo and completed residency training in internal medicine and fellowship training in pulmonary disease at Mount Sinai Beth Israel. His work focuses on the evaluation and treatment of substance use disorders, with a particular emphasis on opioid use disorder.
To support a meaningful learning experience and recognize your participation:
Access PeriodAccess to this recording is available through June 30, 2027, in alignment with ACAAM’s annual academic cycle.
Recording Release CycleACAAM releases updated recorded sessions each July based on the prior academic year’s didactic series. These recordings are available for a limited time and are retired on June 30 of the following year as new content is released.