CanadiEM - By Gaibrie Stephen - November 5, 2019
"Think back to your last three shifts. Did you see an alcohol related condition? You might even notice a pattern— the same patient, the “regular” who returns time and time again with the same presentation. You may even find yourself writing “discharge home when ambulatory” as you’ve “reached your wits end” and don’t know what to do anymore.
The use of alcohol is common and the emergency department is often where we see many of alcohol’s complications. Interestingly, despite alcohol’s massive impact and frequency, anti-craving medications for alcohol which are safe and effective are notoriously underprescribed and alcohol use disorder frequently goes untreated.
The emergency department may be a novel setting to intervene in alcohol use disorders..."