Background: 185 million people around the world were estimated to abuse drugs in the end of the late 1990´s. Drug abuse can cause acute deaths or organ injuries and infections, such as hiv and viral hepatitis. Data from the Institution of Public Health and the Swedish National Board of Health and Welfare show that drug abusers experience difficulties receiving care and that care given to these patients is unsatisfactory. Aim: The purpose of this literature overview was to examine nurses´ perceptions of patients who abuse drugs within health care. Method: A literature overview based on nine quantitative and one qualitative study was carried out. Articles were searched for in the databases PubMed, Cinahl and PsycInfo. The quality of the studies was estimated by using a review protocol. As a theoretic frame of reference Trvelbee´s nursing theory was used. Results: Five groups of nurses´ perceptions of drug users were identified. They were perceived to be problematic, spineless, bearers of certain qualities, difficult to nurse and entitled to care. One group of nurses´ change of perceptions was also identified. Conclusion: There is a risk that nurses´ negative perceptions of drug abusers lead to unmet care needs for these patients.