Drug cues and craving ‘reliably flag relapse’ in substance use
A major review provides strong evidence the indicators are useful in assessment of patients, researchers say
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Craving and drug cues are reliable predictors of future drug use and relapse in patients with substance use disorders, according to the largest meta-analysis on the subject to date.
US researchers say their findings strongly support incorporating craving assessment across all stages of treatment, including “as early as primary care”.