Alcohol Use Disorder- A Comprehensive Overview of Risk, Assessment, and Treatment

Alcohol Use Disorder- A Comprehensive Overview of Risk, Assessment, and Treatment

Hello, and welcome to this kickoff presentation. We will discuss alcohol use disorder, highlighting its epidemiological parameters, the risk factors, assessment findings, and a care plan for persons with this disorder.

Alcohol use disorder (AUD) is perhaps the most common substance use disorder reported in psychiatric care institutions. It is a mental health disorder characterized by unhealthy patterns of consuming alcohol. The consequence of alcohol use disorder stretches beyond individual health to diverse aspects of communities, such as public health, social wellness, and economic well-being. According to DSM-V, a positive diagnosis of alcohol use disorder is made in the presence of two or more factors highlighted in the AUD diagnostic criteria. This includes when alcohol is consumed in more significant amounts or longer durations, in the presence of a persistent urge to take alcohol, the inability to stop taking alcohol, and others. AUD remains a global health concern. Approximately 1% of the global population has the disorder. In the U.S., over 30 million people aged 12 and above have the disorder. The disorder was found to be more common among lower-income communities and those with low literacy levels (Glantz et al., 2020). These findings underpin the need to address this disorder.

AUD has a multifactorial etiology. Although the exact cause is not clearly understood, several factors have been shown to interplay in the development of these disorders. Environmental factors such as where people live play a role in the development of AUDs. Persons living in neighborhoods where alcohol consumption is more prevalent are more likely to develop this disorder (Yang et al., 2022). AUDs also have a genetic component. Evidence suggests that genetic variants such as GABRG2 and GABRA2 increase susceptibility to this disorder (Yang et al., 2022). Peer interactions are another risk factor for AUDs. Persons with alcoholics in their social cycles are more susceptible to developing AUDs. Cognitive functioning is also a factor in AUD as AUDs commonly co-occur with other mental health illnesses such as depression and schizophrenia (Yang et al., 2022).

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Common subjective findings in persons with alcohol abuse disorder include reports of consuming four or more drinks in one session, reports of experiencing the urge to cut down on alcohol without success, and reports of experiencing guilt or being annoyed about alcohol consumption and the criticism that follows therein. Patients will also report frequent falls after consuming alcohol and blackout spells. Uncommon subjective findings include visual loss and seizures. Common objective findings in persons with AUD include slurred speech, cerebellar dysfunction that manifests as ataxia or inability to perform fine motor movements, memory impairment, tremors, nystagmus, and tachycardia. Uncommon objective findings include hematemesis, melena stool, and jaundice. These are often suggestive of liver damage (Yang et al., 2022).

The potential differentials in persons that present with symptoms suggestive of alcohol abuse disorder include alcohol abuse disorder, opioid use disorder, stimulant use disorder, depression, antisocial personality, and anxiety disorders. Opioid use disorder and stimulant use disorders are substance abuse disorders that may present with similar manifestations as AUD. In these cases, the client will report an increased urge to take the substance and cannot control these urges. Further, depression, anxiety, and antisocial personality disorders are common comorbidities in AUD. Diagnostic workups that are necessary to distinguish these disorders include liver function tests to assess alcohol biomarkers such as ALT and AST, urinalysis to check the urinary presence of alcohol metabolites, and blood tests to check the amount of alcohol in the systemic circulation.

Alcohol use disorder has profound negative impacts on an individual’s health. Potential abnormal findings in persons with this disorder include cirrhosis, oral, esophageal, liver, and breast cancers, hemorrhagic stroke, and suicide. Cirrhosis results from a direct insult to the liver by the alcohol consumed. Signs of acute liver injury and cirrhosis include jaundice, anemia, thrombocytopenia, and bleeding disorders. AUD is a risk factor for the development of diverse cancers and hemorrhagic stroke. Esophageal, oral, and liver cancers are more common in persons with AUD. AUD may also have potential suicidal ideation and tendencies in persons with other mental health illnesses, such as depression. It is thus important that caregivers assess these manifestations for all patients presenting with AUD.

Comprehensive management of AUD utilizes non-pharmacological and pharmacological interventions. Non-pharmacological interventions such as CBT and motivational enhancement therapy (MET) maintain effectiveness in assisting persons with AUD to recognize and address their drinking problem (Patel & Balasanova, 2021). Pharmacological interventions can also be used along with non-pharmacological approaches to address AUD. Naltrexone, acamprosate, and disulfiram are FDA-approved medications for managing alcohol dependence (Patel & Balasanova, 2021). Patient education at the point of care may help in improving the clinical outcomes of patients with AUD. In this regard, they should be told about the harmful effects of alcohol consumption, the significance of therapy in optimizing their clinical outcomes, and the potential side effects of the prescribed medications. In the pursuit of healthier communities, health promotion programs against alcohol use can be implemented in various communities. Community awareness of the harmful effects of alcohol and the need to seek care can help better the lives of communities impacted by AUD. They may also address apparent psychosocial needs for persons affected with AUD, such as safety that is sometimes compromised by alcohol use. Referral to a counselor is necessary for persons with AUD. Their role in this respect is to administer CBT.

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For this assignment, you will submit a recorded PowerPoint presentation (using Zoom, Skype for Business, or other professional recording tool) on a substance use disorder topic of your choice that you present to your peers and instructor.

Alcohol Use Disorder- A Comprehensive Overview of Risk, Assessment, and Treatment

Your video presentation should be 8 to 10 minutes long and include the following for your selected topic:

1. Title Slide
2. Epidemiology
3. Risk factors
4. The common and uncommon subjective and objective findings
5. The differentials to consider for your topic and the diagnostic workup needed to determine the diagnosis
6. The potential abnormal findings of your chosen topic
7. A plan of care including pharmacologic, and non-pharmacologic interventions, education, health promotion and maintenance, psychosocial needs, and referrals
8. Reference list in APA format