Treatment Of The Hospitalized Alcohol-Dependent Patient With Alcohol Withdrawal Syndrome

Alcohol-related disorders remain a significant cause of patient morbidity and mortality. These disorders include alcohol intoxication, withdrawal, abuse, and dependence. While primary care physicians certainly play an important role in managing these conditions, the hospital physician should be equally aware of the acute management of alcohol withdrawal and be prepared to help treat the patient for alcohol abuse and dependence. The objective of this manuscript was to review the contemporary literature regarding treatment of these conditions and distill the knowledge into useful clinical information for a practicing physician. We first addresses alcohol withdrawal syndrome with a discussion of underlying pathophysiology, diagnostic criteria, clinical evaluation, treatment goals, and specific treatment options including pharmacotherapy. To address long-term continuity of care, we include a discussion of alcohol abuse and dependence, specifically addressing clinical assessment and various long-term therapy modalities. With a review of this information, we hope to simplify the management and treatment goals for the internal medicine physician for patients with alcohol-related disorders.