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Previous Volume 338:592-602 February 26, 1998 Number 9 Next

	Since this article has no abstract, we have provided an extract of the first 100 words of the full text and any section headings.

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Alcohol use is associated with many health problems,^1,2 along with 100,000 deaths and an annual economic cost of $100 billion in the United States.¹ From the perspective of generalist physicians, the term "alcohol problems" (problems caused by alcohol that may require treatment) refers to a broad array of acute and chronic medical, behavioral, and social problems that may affect their patients.³ Up to 40 percent of medical and surgical patients have alcohol problems, and alcohol use accounts for more than 15 percent of health care costs.^1,3

Alcohol problems may be acute or chronic, may range from mild to severe, and . . . [Full Text of this Article]

Patterns of Alcohol Use and Diagnostic Criteria

Moderate and at Risk Drinking

Alcohol Abuse and Dependence

Epidemiology

General Population

Medical Settings

Screening and Diagnosis of Alcohol Problems

Barriers to Effective Screening and Diagnosis

Screening Approaches in Medical Settings

            General History and Screening Questionnaires

            Physical Examination and Laboratory Studies

            Assessment of Patients for Alcohol-Related Problems

Treatment Approaches for Problem Drinkers

Discussing Alcohol Problems with Patients and Assessing Their Readiness for Treatment

Treatment of At-Risk and Problem Drinkers with Brief Interventions

Treatment Approaches for Alcohol Dependence

            Management of the Alcohol Withdrawal Syndrome

            Referral of Patients to Self-Help Groups

            Referral of Patients to Alcohol Treatment Programs

            Pharmacologic Treatments to Prevent Relapse

The Role of Physicians in Caring for Patients with Alcohol Problems

Source Information

From the Departments of Internal Medicine (P.G.O.) and Psychiatry (R.S.S.), Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Conn.

Address reprint requests to Dr. O'Connor at Yale University School of Medicine, Primary Care Center, Suite A, 333 Cedar St., P.O. Box 208025, New Haven, CT 06520-8025.

References

Related Letters:

Patients with Alcohol Problems
Garcia-Monco J. C., Beldarrain M. G., Addolorato G., Stefanini G. F., Gasbarrini G., Saitz R., O'Connor P. G., Schottenfeld R. S.
Extract | Full Text  
N Engl J Med 1998; 339:130-131, Jul 9, 1998. Correspondence

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