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Helping Patients
with Alcohol Problems:
A Health Practitioner's Guide
WHAT YOUR PATIENTS SHOULD KNOW ABOUT ALCOHOL USE
Most adults who drink alcohol drink in moderation and are at low risk
for developing problems related to their drinking. However, all drinkers,
including low-risk drinkers, should be aware of the health risks associated
with alcohol consumption. Provide your patients with information and advice
about the risks of drinking.
Return to Table of Contents.
RECOMMENDATIONS TO PATIENTS FOR LOW-RISK DRINKING
Advise those patients who currently drink to drink in moderation.
Moderate drinking is defined as follows:
- Men--no more than two drinks per day
- Women--no more than one drink per day
- Over 65--no more than one drink per day
Note: A standard drink is 12 grams of pure alcohol,
which is equal to one 12-ounce bottle of beer or wine cooler,
one 5-ounce glass of wine, or 1.5 ounces of distilled spirits.
Advise patients to abstain from alcohol under certain conditions:
- when pregnant or considering pregnancy
- when taking a medication that interacts with alcohol
- if alcohol dependent
- if a contraindicated medical condition is present (e.g., ulcer, liver disease)
If a patient is at risk for coronary heart disease, discuss the potential benefits and risks of alcohol use:
- Light to moderate drinking is associated with lower rates of coronary
heart disease in certain populations (e.g., men over 45, postmenopausal
women). Infrequent or nondrinkers are not advised to begin a regimen of
light to moderate drinking to reduce the risk of coronary heart disease
because vulnerability to alcohol-related problems cannot always be predicted.
Similar protective effects can likely be achieved through proper diet and exercise.
Clinical Notes
- Women and the elderly have smaller amounts of body water than men;
therefore, they achieve a higher blood alcohol concentration than men
after drinking the same amount of alcohol.
- Exposing a fetus to alcohol can cause a broad range of birth defects
referred to as fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS) or alcohol-related birth
defects (ARBD). Although FAS/ARBD is associated with excessive alcohol
consumption during pregnancy, studies also have reported neurobehavioral
deficits in infants born to mothers reporting drinking an average of one
drink per day during pregnancy.
- Studies indicate that heavier episodic drinking (i.e., the consumption
of more than four drinks per occasion by men and more than three drinks per
occasion by women) impairs cognitive and psychomotor functions and increases
the risk of alcohol-related problems, including accidents and injuries.
Next Section: Screening and Brief Intervention Procedures
Previous Section: Forward/Letter from NIAAA Director
Return to Table of Contents.
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