Patients who present to the ED are more likely to have alcohol-related problems than those who present to primary care. The ED visit offers a potential "teachable moment" because of the association with a negative consequence of alcohol use. The ACEP suggests that brief interventions are effective; counseling sessions can be as short as 5 minutes. Q&F questions can help determine whether the patient exceeds recommended levels for moderate drinking. However, the CAGE questionnaire is better for identifying dependence, with a specificity of 90% and a sensitivity of 76% when administered in the ED.
Linking patients to alcohol-dependence services in the ED has proven to be successful and is recommended.
For more information on alcoholism, read here.
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Any views expressed above are the author's own and do not necessarily reflect the views of WebMD or Medscape.
Cite this: Stephen Soreff. Fast Five Quiz: Alcohol Use and Abuse - Medscape - Jan 03, 2019.
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