title: Overview of substance abuse: implications for the primary care nurse practitioner.
abstract: NPs in primary care can expect a significant percent of their patient population to have a substance abuse disorder. This article provides the practitioner with foundational information on the epidemiology and neurophysiology of substance abuse, models and theories of addiction, and the physical and psychological effects of commonly abused substances. The commonly abused legal substances, nicotine and alcohol, are highlighted.
authors.forename: M C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Long
mesh_terms: D006801:Humans; D009722:Nurse Practitioners; D011320:Primary Health Care / Q000379:methods*; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000451:nursing* / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology