Alcohol Use Disorder
Alcohol Use Disorder centers on assessment, pharmacotherapy, psychosocial care, and relapse prevention across outpatient, inpatient, and community settings. This page translates evidence into day-to-day decisions: how to stage detox and withdrawal management safely; when to choose acamprosate, naltrexone, or disulfiram; and how to blend CBT, MI, and contingency approaches by severity and goals. We emphasise risk stratification with labs and history, management of hepatic disease, sleep disturbance, and co-morbid anxiety/depression, plus strategies for harm reduction and overdose risk when polysubstance use is present. If you’re comparing events like an alcohol use disorder conference, you’ll find practical pathways for initiating medication in ED or hospital, building warm handoffs to community care, and measuring what matters—retention, cravings, function, and quality of life. Because objective measures help guide care, we link to Alcohol Biomarkers to clarify windows of detection, interpretation, and how to communicate results without stigma.
Real-world success requires integration. Primary care, psychiatry, nursing, pharmacy, and peers coordinate to keep patients engaged, aligning medication schedules with counselling, mutual-help, and recovery supports. We outline approaches for perinatal care, older adults, and patients with liver disease, including dosing adjustments and monitoring plans; for those with co-occurring pain or sedative dependence, careful sequencing avoids destabilising withdrawal or drug–drug interactions. Sleep, nutrition, and social determinants (housing, transport, childcare) influence outcomes as much as medications; structured aftercare with trigger management and rapid re-entry after lapses protects gains. Programs that combine low-threshold entry, naloxone education, and anti-stigma practices reach more people earlier and reduce mortality. Throughout, this page treats AUD as a chronic condition: longitudinal plans, stepped-care intensity, and continuous QI cycles that act on data rather than impressions
Ready to Share Your Research?
Submit Your Abstract Here →Care Priorities in Alcohol Use Disorder
Assessment and diagnosis
- Use structured history, labs, and severity tools to guide level of care.
- Differentiate hazardous use, dependence, and co-morbid conditions clearly.
Medications for AUD
- Select acamprosate, naltrexone, or disulfiram by goals and comorbidity.
- Adjust dosing for hepatic/renal status and monitor adherence/safety.
Psychosocial & relapse prevention
- Match CBT/MI/CM to stage of change and risk.
- Embed trigger management, skills practice, and aftercare follow-up.
Safety and comorbidity
- Plan alcohol withdrawal protocols and seizure prevention.
- Address depression/anxiety, sleep, and polysubstance risks proactively.
Implementation Models and Practice Essentials
Hospital and ED initiation
Start naltrexone or acamprosate at bedside when appropriate; arrange booked follow-ups before discharge to prevent drop-off.
Primary care integration
Standardise screening, brief intervention, and medication workflows; use registries to track retention and response.
Liver and alcohol health
Coordinate with hepatology for cirrhosis, transplant pathways, and nutrition; balance efficacy with hepatotoxicity risk.
Detox and withdrawal management
Use symptom-triggered protocols, thiamine, seizure precautions, and sleep strategies; transition immediately to maintenance therapy.
Family and social supports
Offer family psychoeducation, boundary setting, and crisis plans; link to community mutual-help and peer coaching.
Harm reduction and safety
Provide naloxone education for polysubstance risk; counsel on safer-use and driving/legal risks during early recovery.
Equity and cultural adaptation
Address language, cost, transport, and stigma barriers; co-design materials with local communities to improve reach.
Quality improvement and outcomes
Track cravings, functioning, adverse events, and patient-reported outcomes; use dashboards to iterate care pathways.
Related Sessions You May Like
Join the Global Addiction Medicine & Mental Health Community
Connect with addiction specialists, psychiatrists, psychologists, neuroscientists, and mental health advocates worldwide. Share your clinical findings, prevention strategies, and therapeutic approaches, while exploring the latest advancements and innovative treatments supporting well-being across diverse populations.
