Week 9; Substance Abuse Flashcards
Core concept:
ADDICTION IS A COMPULSION AND IS SO
STRONG AS TO GENERATE DISTRESS
(EITHER PHYSICAL OR PSYCHOLOGICAL IF
LEFT UNFULFILLED.
INTOXICATION –
A PHYSICAL AND MENTAL STATE OF MENTAL STATE
OR EXHILARATION AND EMOTIONAL FRENZY OR LETHARGY AND STUPOR WHILE UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF THE SUBSTANCE
WITHDRAWAL –
THE PHYSIOLOGICAL AND MENTAL READJUSTMENT
THAT ACCOMPANIES THE DISCONTINUATION F AN ADDICTIVE SUBSTANCE. THIS CAN OCCUR WITH CESSATION OR ABRUPT DECREASE OF A SUBSTANCE USED REGULARLY OVER A PROLONGED PERIOD.
Substance addiction consists of
PHYSICAL DEPENDENCE; NEED FOR INCREASING AMOUNTS TO PRODUCE THE DESIRED EFFECTS
PSYCHOLOGICAL DEPENDENCE; OVERWHELMING DESIRE TO REPEAT THE USE OF A PARTICULAR DRUG TO PRODUCE PLEASURE OR AVOID DISCOMFORT
Other components of substance abuse disorder
*USE OF THE SUBSTANCE INTERFERES WITH ABILITY
TO FULFILL ROLE OBLIGATIONS
*ATTEMPTS TO CUT DOWN OR CONTROL USE FAIL
*INTENSE CRAVING FOR THE SUBSTANCE
*EXCESSIVE AMOUNT OF TIME SPENT TRYING TO
PROCURE THE SUBSTANCE OR RECOVER FROM ITS USE
* USE OF THE SUBSTANCE CAUSES THE PERSON DIFFICULTY WITH INTERPERSONAL RELATIONSHIPS OR TO BECOME SOCIALLY ISOLATED
*ENGAGES IN HAZARDOUS ACTIVITIES WHEN IMPAIRED
BY THE SUBSTANCE
*TOLERANCE DEVELOPS AND THE AMOUNT REQUIRED TO ACHIEVE THE DESIRED EFFECT INCREASES
*SUBSTANCE-SPECIFIC SYMPTOMS OCCUR UPON DISCONTINUATION OF USE
SUBSTANCE INTOXICATION
*DEVELOPMENT OF A REVERSIBLE SYNDROME OF SYMPTOMS FOLLOWING EXCESSIVE USE OF A SUBSTANCE
* DIRECT EFFECT ON THE CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM
* DISRUPTION IN PHYSICAL AND PSYCHOLOGICAL FUNCTIONING
* JUDGMENT IS DISTURBED AND SOCIAL AND OCCUPATIONAL FXN IMPAIRED
SUBSTANCE WITHDRAWAL
*DEVELOPMENT OF SYMPTOMS THAT OCCURS UPON ABRUPT REDUCTION
OR DISCONTINUATION OF A SUBSTANCE THAT HAS BEEN USED
*SYMPTOMS ARE SPECIFIC TO THE SUBSTANCE THAT HAS BEEN USED.
*DISRUPTION IN PHYSICAL AND PSYCHOLOGICAL FUNCTIONING
Biological factors
GENETICS: APPARENT HEREDITARY FACTOR, PARTICULARLY WITH ALCOHOLISM
* BIOCHEMICAL: ALCOHOL MAY PRODUCE MORPHINE-LIKE SUBSTANCES IN THE BRAIN THAT ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR ALCOHOL ADDICTION.
SOCIOCULTURAL FACTORS
- SOCIAL LEARNING: CHILDREN AND ADOLESCENTS ARE MORE LIKELY TO USE SUBSTANCES WITH PARENTS WHO PROVIDE MODEL FOR SUBSTANCE USE.
- USE OF SUBSTANCES MAY ALSO BE PROMOTED WITHIN PEER GROUP.
CONDITIONING: PLEASURABLE EFFECTS FROM SUBSTANCE USE ACT AS A POSITIVE REINFORCEMENT FOR CONTINUED USE OF SUBSTANCE.
According to the NI of alcohol abuse disorder
- DRINKERS WHO EXPERIENCE BLACKOUTS TYPICALLY DRINK TOO MUCH AND TOO QUICKLY, WHICH CAUSES THEIR BLOOD ALCOHOL LEVELS TO RISE VERY
RAPIDLY. - COLLEGE STUDENTS MAY BE AT PARTICULAR RISK FOR EXPERIENCING A BLACKOUT, AS AN ALARMING NUMBER OF COLLEGE STUDENTS ENGAGE IN BINGE DRINKING.
- BINGE DRINKING, FOR A TYPICAL ADULT, IS DEFINED AS CONSUMING FIVE OR MORE DRINKS IN ABOUT 2 HOURS FOR MEN, OR FOUR OR MORE DRINKS FOR WOMEN.
ALCOHOL USE DISORDER
* PHASE I -
PRE-ALCOHOLIC PHASE: CHARACTERIZED BY
USE OF ALCOHOL TO RELIEVE EVERYDAY STRESS AND
TENSIONS OF LIFE
ALCOHOL USE DISORDER
* PHASE II
EARLY ALCOHOLIC PHASE: BEGINS WITH BLACKOUTS—BRIEF PERIODS OF AMNESIA THAT OCCUR DURING OR IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWING A PERIOD OF DRINKING; ALCOHOL IS NOW REQUIRED BY THE PERSON.
ALCOHOL USE DISORDER
* PHASE III -
THE CRUCIAL PHASE: PERSON HAS LOST CONTROL; PHYSIOLOGICAL DEPENDENCE IS CLEARLY EVIDENT.
ALCOHOL USE DISORDER
* PHASE IV -
THE CHRONIC PHASE: CHARACTERIZED BY EMOTIONAL AND PHYSICAL DISINTEGRATION. THE PERSON IS USUALLY INTOXICATED MORE OFTEN THAN SOBER.
EFFECTS OF ALCOHOL ON THE BODY
*PERIPHERAL NEUROPATHY, CHARACTERIZED BY:
- PERIPHERAL NERVE DAMAGE
- PAIN
- BURNING
- TINGLING
- PRICKLY SENSATIONS OF THE EXTREMITIES
ALCOHOLIC MYOPATHY:
THOUGHT TO RESULT FROM SAME B VITAMIN DEFICIENCY THAT CONTRIBUTES TO PERIPHERAL NEUROPATHY
* ACUTE: SUDDEN ONSET OF MUSCLE PAIN, SWELLING,
AND WEAKNESS; REDDISH TINGE TO THE URINE; RAPID
RISE IN MUSCLE ENZYMES IN THE BLOOD
* CHRONIC: GRADUAL WASTING AND WEAKNESS IN
SKELETAL MUSCLES
WERNICKE’S ENCEPHALOPATHY:
MOST SERIOUS FORM OF THIAMINE DEFICIENCY IN ALCOHOLIC PATIENTS. SYMPTOMS INCLUDE PARALYSIS OF OCULAR MUSCLES, DIPLOPIA, ATAXIA, SOMNOLENCE, STUPOR.
KORSAKOFF’S PSYCHOSIS:
SYNDROME OF CONFUSION, LOSS OF RECENT MEMORY, AND CONFABULATION IN ALCOHOLIC PATIENTS
WERNICKE-KORSAKOFF SYNDROME
- IN THE UNITED STATES, THE TWO DISORDERS ARE USUALLY CONSIDERED TOGETHER AND ARE CALLED WERNICKE-KORSAKOFF SYNDROME. TREATMENT IS WITH PARENTERAL OR ORAL THIAMINE REPLACEMENT.
ALCOHOLIC CARDIOMYOPATHY:
EFFECT OF ALCOHOL ON THE HEART IS AN ACCUMULATION OF LIPIDS IN THE MYOCARDIAL CELLS, RESULTING IN ENLARGEMENT AND A WEAKENED CONDITION.
GASTRITIS:
EFFECTS OF ALCOHOL ON THE STOMACH INCLUDE INFLAMMATION OF THE STOMACH LINING CHARACTERIZED BY EPIGASTRIC DISTRESS, NAUSEA, VOMITING, AND DISTENTION
PANCREATITIS
*ACUTE: USUALLY OCCURS 1 OR 2 DAYS AFTER A BINGE
OF EXCESSIVE ALCOHOL CONSUMPTION. SYMPTOMS
INCLUDE CONSTANT, SEVERE EPIGASTRIC PAIN; NAUSEA
AND VOMITING; AND ABDOMINAL DISTENTION.
*CHRONIC: LEADS TO PANCREATIC INSUFFICIENCY
RESULTING IN STEATORRHEA, MALNUTRITION, WEIGHT
LOSS, AND DIABETES MELLITUS
ALCOHOLIC HEPATITIS
- CAUSED BY LONG-TERM HEAVY ALCOHOL USE
- SYMPTOMS: ENLARGED, TENDER LIVER; NAUSEA AND
VOMITING; LETHARGY; ANOREXIA; ELEVATED WHITE
BLOOD CELL COUNT; FEVER; AND JAUNDICE. ALSO
ASCITES AND WEIGHT LOSS IN SEVERE CASES.
CIRRHOSIS OF THE LIVER
CIRRHOSIS IS THE END-STAGE OF ALCOHOLIC LIVER DISEASE AND IS BELIEVED TO BE CAUSED BY CHRONIC
HEAVY ALCOHOL USE. THERE IS WIDESPREAD
DESTRUCTION OF LIVER CELLS, WHICH ARE REPLACED BY FIBROUS (SCAR) TISSUE. COMPLICATIONS OF CIRRHOSIS OF THE LIVER CAN INCLUDE:
* PORTAL HYPERTENSION
* ASCITES
* ESOPHAGEAL VARICES
* HEPATIC ENCEPHALOPATHY
LEUKOPENIA:
IMPAIRED PRODUCTION, FUNCTION,
AND MOVEMENT OF WHITE BLOOD CELLS
THROMBOCYTOPENIA:
PLATELET PRODUCTION AND SURVIVAL ARE IMPAIRED AS A RESULT OF THE TOXIC EFFECTS OF ALCOHOL.
SEXUAL DYSFUNCTION
- IN THE SHORT TERM, ENHANCED LIBIDO AND FAILURE OF ERECTION ARE COMMON.
*LONG-TERM EFFECTS INCLUDE GYNECOMASTIA, STERILITY, IMPOTENCE, AND DECREASED LIBIDO.
FAS
- ALCOHOL USE DURING PREGNANCY CAN RESULT IN FETAL ALCOHOL SPECTRUM DISORDERS (FASDS).
*FETAL ALCOHOL SYNDROME (FAS): PROBLEMS WITH LEARNING, MEMORY, ATTENTION SPAN, COMMUNICATION, VISION, AND HEARING - ALCOHOL-RELATED NEURODEVELOPMENTAL
DISORDER
*ALCOHOL-RELATED BIRTH DEFECTS
*NO AMOUNT OF ALCOHOL DURING PREGNANCY IS
CONSIDERED SAFE
ALCOHOL INTOXICATION:
OCCURS AT BLOOD ALCOHOL LEVELS BETWEEN 100 AND 200 MG/DL
* LEGAL LIMIT IS 0.08 – PEOPLE REACT DIFFERENTLY!
ALCOHOL WITHDRAWAL:
OCCURS WITHIN 4 TO 12 HOURS OF CESSATION OF OR REDUCTION IN HEAVY AND PROLONGED ALCOHOL USE
* ALCOHOL WITHDRAWAL CAN BE LIFE THREATENING
* COMMON SYMPTOMS: INCREASED BP, INCREASED PULSE, DIAPHORESIS, INCREASED ANXIETY OR AGITATION
* COMPLICATED WITHDRAWAL MAY PROGRES TO ALCOHOL WITHDRAWAL DELIRIUM
* THIS DELIRIUM USUALLY OCCURS ON 2ND OR 3RD DAY
Alcohol withdrawal s/s
- TREMORS, SHAKES
- DIAPHORESIS
- INCREASING BP
- INCREASING ANXIETY
- N/V
- IRRITABILITY
- HALLUCINATIONS AND/OR ILLUSIONS
- INSOMNIA
- DELIRIUM TREMENS – ALCOHOL WITHDRAWAL DELIRIUM
- SEIZURES, DEATH
Treatment indications for alcohol withdrawal
- R/O ALTERNATIVE DIAGNOSIS
- SYMPTOM CONTROL AND MANAGEMENT
- LABS (CBC, CHEM PANEL, UA, LIVER PANEL)
- VS Q 4 HOURS – BP IS A GOOD INDICATOR
- I&0
- ASSESSMENTS
- BENZODIAZEPINE – DIAZEPAM (VALIUM), LORAZEPAM
(ATIVAN), CHLORDIAZEPOXIDE LIBRIUM), OR OXAZEPAM
(SERAX) - IV IF SEIZURES