Substance Disorders+Alcohol Flashcards
What is substance related disorders broken up into?
- Substance use disorders
2. Substance induced disorders-intoxication, withdrawal, substance/medication induced disorders
What are some aetiological factors that can lead to substance disorders?
- Genetic predisposition
- Environmental factors
- Individual determinants
What is the most prevalent thing that is abused?
Alcohol
Which group of people are more likely to develop problems of substance use?
Males
They start earlier and they are 2-3 times at a increased chance but women develop more severe symptoms
What is white pipe?
The combination of cannabis and mandrax
What is whoonga?
ARV, efavirenz and heroin
What is nyaopi or pinch?
Cheap heroin and cannabis
Which route has a faster onset of actions?
Injection and oral intake instead of oral intake
Which anti-depressants are more likely to be abused?
Benzodiazepines
What allows the crossing into the blood brain barrier faster?
- The more lipophilic the substance is
- The route
- Shorter half life
What does intoxication mean?
A reversible substance specific syndrome that occurs due to the recent us of a substance
What is tolerance?
The adaptability of the body to the heavy and repeated use of a substance where more of the substance is required to get the desired effect or the same amount has a reduced effect
What is withdrawal?
It is a substance specific syndrome that is caused by the cessation or the reduced use of a substance after heavy and prolonged use
What is reinstatement?
When a sober addict that has been abstinent for years then uses the substance again and quickly develops tolerance and withdrawal
What is Maslows hierarchy?
- Experimenting
- Recreational use
- Substance use disorder(mild, moderate or severe)
What is alcohol intoxication?
Upon recent drinking the person develops problematic behavior or psychological changes like impaired judgement and aggressiveness They also present with: -slurred speech -incoordination -nystagmus -impaired memory and attention -unsteady gait -coma
What is alcohol withdrawal?
It is the cessation or reduction of the use of alcohol that’s leads to specific symptoms
- anxiety
- insomnia
- autonomic (sweating, tachycardia, hypertension)
- nausea and vomiting
- tonic clonic seizures
- hand tremor
- psychomotor agitataion
How do we screen a patient for alcohol use?
- AUDIT from WHO
2. Clinical questioning such as the heavy drinking days and what they drink and how much
How much alcohol is too much?
Males: 5 drinks per day or more than 15 per week
Females: 4 drinks per day and not more than 8 per week
What is Wernicke’s encephalopathy?
Linked to chronic alcohol use and caused by thiamine deficiency
The triad is:
-ophthalmoplegia ( abnormal eye muscle movements)
-ataxia
-confusion or Delirium
Plus dietary deficiencies
What percentage of patients that have Wernickes encephalopathy develop Karsokoffs?
80%
How do we treat wernickes encephalopathy?
By starting prompt IV thiamine to reverse the symptoms
Why do we need to give the patient thiamine with glucose?
We need thiamine to metabolize glucose
What is Korsakoff’s syndrome?
The inability to learn or retain new memory with confabulation
What are the risk factors for developing Wernicke’s encephalopathy?
- Nausea and vomiting
- Malnutrition
- Recent weight loss
- Drinking more than 15 units per week of alcohol
- Peripheral neuropathy
- Chronic illness
What is delirium tremens?
It is alcohol withdrawal in 5% of people who stop alcohol abruptly
How does delirium tremens usually present?
It presents 2-5 days later usually at night
Presents with:
-delusions
-anxiety, signs of withdrawal and agitation
-disorientation
-visual and auditory delusions
What is the risk of death of delirium tremens?
Without treatment: 35%
With treatment: 5-15%
What are withdrawal seizures?
They occur 8-24 hours after the last drink
Usually generalised tonic clonic seizures
What disorders is alcohol associated with?
- Mood disorders
- Anxiety disorders
- Dementia
- Sleep disorders
- Sexual disorders
- Personality disorders
- Amnesia disorders
- Pathological jealousy-othello syndrome
What is the difference between hallucinosis and delirium tremens?
In hallucinoisis the patient is not confused