Alcohol Use Disorder

Question 1

Alcohol Withdrawal Critieria

Answer 1

1) Cessation (or reduction) of heavy and/or prolonged alcohol use
2) 2+ of the following a few hours to days after cessation
PAINTInG
- Psychomotor agitation
- Anxiety / Autonomic hyperactivity
- Insomnia
- N/V
- Transient Hallucinations or illusions
- Increased hand tremor
- Generalised tonic-clonic seizures
3) Clinically significant distress or impairment in functioning
4) Not due to other medical condition or mental disorder

Question 2

Alcohol Use Disorder Management

Answer 2

Intervention
Detoxification
- BZDs or haloperidol can be used to treat withdrawal
Rehabilitation
Medications
- disulfiram, naltrexone, acamprosate

Question 3

Alcohol Use Disorder Complications

Answer 3

Medical
Social
- Family, forensic and work life
Neuropsychiatric
- Intoxication
- Acute withdrawal causing Delirium Tremens
Chronic neuropsychiatric
- Wernicke’s Encephalopathy
- Korsakoff’s Psychosis
- Alcoholic dementia
- Othello syndrome
- Depression (suicide)
- Epilepsy
- Alcoholic Hallucinosis

Question 4

Alcohol Use Disorder Medical Complications

Answer 4

• Contributing factor to hepatitis, hypertension, TB, pneumonia, pancreatitis and cardiomyopathy
• Carcinoma of mouth, oesophagus, pharynx, larynx, and breast.
• CNS including dementia and stroke
• PNS including neuropathy and myopathy

Question 5

Alcohol Use Disorder Acute Neuropsychiatric Complications

Answer 5

• Intoxication

- Acute withdrawal causing Delirium Tremens

Question 6

Alcohol Use Disorder Chronic neuropsychiatric Complications

Answer 6

• Wernicke’s Encephalopathy
• Korsakoff’s Psychosis
• Alcoholic dementia
• Othello syndrome / morbid jealousy
• Depression (suicide)
• Epilepsy
• Alcoholic Hallucinosis

Question 7

Define Delirium Tremens

Answer 7

• Affects 5% of those with alcohol withdrawal

- Symptoms include hallucinations, disorientation, tachycardia, hypertension, fever, agitation and diaphoresis