Lecture 7 Flashcards
Negative Risk Factors of Alcoholism
A family history positive 4x likelihood of becoming alcoholic, decreased sensitivity to alcohol
Positive Risk Factors for Alcoholism
Asians 30-50% heterozygote for deletion of gene allele for acetaldehydede hydrogenase
Describe alcohol dependence
Loss of control over intake, compulsive drug taking, impairment of social and occupational functioning, and negative emotional state upon withdrawal
Alcohol Withdrawal: Somatic Effects (EARLY)
Insomnia, Tremor, Sympathetic responses increase (heart rate, blood pressure, body temperature), and seizures.
Alcohol Withdrawal: Somatic Effects (LATE)
Delirium tremens, Hallucination, and High Fever
Alcohol Withdrawal: Motivational Symptoms
Anxiety, Dysphoria, and mental clouding
Alcoholism Treatment Drug
Benzodiazepine (Librium)
Employee Alcoholism Terminal Stage
The person now thinks “my job interferes with my drinking”, prolonged unpredictable absences, undependable, hospitalization, physical deterioration, financial and family problems, and uneven and generally incompetent at his job
Old Lady in La Jolla Syndrome
Women outlive men, kids left home, old lady is alone and begin to unintentionally abuse alcohol
Toxic Effects of Alcohol
Cirrhosis (loss of cells) on the liver, heart and pancreas
Wernicke’s/Korsakoff’s Syndrome
Cirrhosis of the brain, kills the cells in your hippocampus due to alcohol use combined with thiamine deficiency. Can’t lay down new information due to hippocampus cells dying, tells stories to fill up holes in memory
Fetal Alcohol Syndrome
Mild to moderate retardation, hyperactivity in childhood, growth deficiency, and characteristic face abnormalities. Drinking when pregnant
Alcoholism Treatment
Detoxification, short-term treatment in rehab, and long-term after care (abstinence)
Detox
Detox until drug-seeking behavior normalizes
Disulfiram
Punishment form of stopping relapse, get sick when you drink (severe form of a flush reaction due to acetaldehyde poisoning), fatigue, tremor, toxic psychosis, restlessness, and metallic taste