Alcohol Use and Dependency

Question 1

A UK unit is _g or _ml of pure alcohol

Answer 1

8g or 10ml

Question 2

How do you calculate the number of units in a drink?

Answer 2

Strength of drink (% ABV) x volume (l)

Question 3

How many units is one bottle of wine that is 13.5% and 750ml?

Answer 3

13.5 x 0.75 = 10 units

Question 4

True or false: one unit of alcohol is a small glass of wine?

Answer 4

No, it’s half a small glass of wine

Question 5

What are drinking guidelines?

Answer 5

No more than 14 units per week.
Spread drinking over 3 days or more.

Question 6

What are symptoms of alcohol withdrawal

Answer 6

Tremulousness (“the shakes”)

Activation syndrome (agitation, rapid heartbeat and high bp)

Seizures

Hallucinations (often visual or tactile)

Delirium tremens (tremors, confusion, disorientation, light and sound sensitivity)

Question 7

What does FASD stand for?

Answer 7

Foetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder

Pre and post-natal exposure to alcohol

Question 8

What can FASD cause?

Answer 8

CNS abnormalities like learning disabilities, irritability, incoordination, hyperactivity
Craniofacial abnormalities
Congenital defects of: eyes, ears, mouth, CV system, genitourinary tract, skeleton

Question 9

What are Recommendations for Policy for preventing alcohol use disorders?

Answer 9

Price - make alcohol less affordable
Availability - licensing and import allowances
Marketing - limit exposure, especially to young people and children

Question 10

What are recommendations for Practice for preventing alcohol use disorders?

Answer 10

Licensing
Screening and brief interventions
Supporting children and young people 10-15 y/o
Referral - consider for specialist treatment

Question 11

What is At Risk Drinking?

Answer 11

A pattern of drinking which brings about the risk of physical or psychological harm

Question 12

What is Harmful Drinking?

Answer 12

A pattern of drinking which is likely to cause physical or psychological harm

Question 13

What does FAST stand for?

Answer 13

Fast Alcohol Screening Test

Question 14

Other than FAST, what is another screening test that can be used?

Answer 14

AUDIT - the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test

Question 15

What can be used to summarise a motivational interviewing brief intervention for at-risk drinking?

Answer 15

FRAMES

Feedback about the risk of personal harm or impairment
stress personal Responsibility for making change
Advice to cut down/stop
provide a Menu of alternative strategies for changing drinking patterns
Empathetic interviewing style
Self efficacy: leave patient feeling able to cope with agreed goals