Stimulants & Polysubstance Use

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Track 03 of 9

Stimulants & Polysubstance Use

Cocaine, methamphetamine, contingency management.

Stimulant use disorder has surged alongside the opioid crisis, with methamphetamine and cocaine now frequently co-detected with fentanyl in overdose decedents. No FDA-approved pharmacotherapy exists, but the ADAPT-2 trial of injectable naltrexone plus oral bupropion, along with evidence for topiramate, mirtazapine, and modafinil, provides a partial pharmacologic toolkit. The strongest evidence remains contingency management — operant reinforcement of stimulant abstinence — now scaled through the VA and state Medicaid demonstrations. Sessions will also address polysubstance overdose response, stimulant-induced cardiomyopathy, methamphetamine psychosis management, and the overlap with HIV and HCV transmission.

Focus areas
  • Contingency management: VA implementation and Medicaid pilots
  • ADAPT-2: injectable naltrexone plus bupropion for methamphetamine
  • Topiramate, mirtazapine, and modafinil evidence in stimulant use
  • Polysubstance overdose: fentanyl-stimulant co-detection trends
  • Stimulant-induced cardiomyopathy and reversibility
  • Methamphetamine-associated psychosis and acute management
  • Cocaine vaccine and immunotherapy pipeline