Question

A 51-year-old partner at a leading financial firm, Thomas Frost is struggling with his alcohol use. He has tried multiple times to reduce or stop drinking but has yet to succeed. His alcohol use has started to affect his work performance and is straining his relationships with his wife and children. Thomas’ wife, Joanne, calls your office for support around creating a treatment plan and helping find appropriate and high-quality care for Thomas that would give him the best chance for successfully stopping his use of alcohol.

Questions

From your perspective as a psychiatric nurse practitioner, address the following in your initial post:

1. What medications are available for alcohol cravings/withdrawal?
2. Choose a medication that helps with alcohol cravings/withdrawal and explain the psychopharmacology.
3. What are the symptoms of alcohol withdrawal? What potential dangers are there from alcohol withdrawal?
4. Describe a screening tool to help assess the amount and frequency of alcohol intake. Include a link if available online.

Answer 1

1. Medications which are available for alcohol withdrawal are :-

Acamprosate

Disulfiram

Naltrexone

2. Psychopharmacology of disulfiram :-

- inhibits the enzyme aldehyde dehydrogenase

- has an unpleasant reaction with alcohol

- discourages alcohol ingestions

3. Symptoms of alcohol withdrawal are :-

Shakiness , sweating , agitation , nausea, vomiting , restlessness and irritability , anxiety ,loss of appetite , tremors , tachycardia

#. Complications

:- alcohol related liver disease

alcoholic cardiopathy

alcoholic neuropathy

wernickle korsakoff syndrome