[The addicted patient in anaesthesia -screening, diagnosis and treatment of alcohol use disorders]

Abstract

Patients consuming > 60g/d of alcohol (e.g. 1.5l of beer), are 2-5 times more likely to suffer post-operative complications such as infectious, bleeding or cardiac complications or an alcohol withdrawal syndrome. By screening and a systematic evaluation risk patients can be identified that may benefit from interventions such as counseling, brief interventions, abstinence, tailored anesthesia, prophylactic treatment of withdrawal symptoms, stress reduction, harm reduction, psychosocial therapy, addiction therapy, multidisciplinary treatment.