Alcohol Hx condensed

Question 1

What questions should be asked in an alcohol history presenting complaint?

Answer 1

• Do you drink alcohol?
• How much now?
• What do you drink?
• How often?

CAGE screen

• (signpost)
• Cut down?
• annoyed by others?
• feel guilty about drinking?
• do you drink first thing in the morning? (eye opener)

Question 2

What should you ask in a HPC of alcohol Hx?

Answer 2

intake/quantities:

• Tell me about your alcohol intake on a typical day?
• how long have you drunk for?
• do you drink alone?
• where do you drink?
• how much do you spend? (finance)

dependence/withdrawal signs:

• What happens when you dont drink?
• do you get any shaking/tremors?
• any urges to drink?

Health risk:

• Appetite?
• Weight loss?
• Memory?

Psych risk:

• self harm? (+ suicide)
• Strange episodes?
• mood?

Question 3

What do you ask in an alcohol Hx - SH?

Answer 3

Affect on daily life:

DORA LIP

D- Diet

O- Occupation

R- relationships

A- alcohol related crime

L- Living situation

I - I’s - DrInk and DrIve?

P - Previous abstinence attempts

• What worked?
• trigger again?

Question 4

What should you ask in an alcohol Hx PMH, DH and FH?

Answer 4

PMH

• Do you have any psych or medical conditions?
• Specifically: Alcohol related hospital; CVS; Liver/pancreas; diabetes?

DH

• Warfarin?
• allergies?
• meds?
• recreational drugs?

FH

• of alcohol misuse?
• mental illness?