Outpatient alcohol addiction treatment: a safe option

Authors

  • Jacinto Mosquera Nogueira Médico. Enviar correspondencia a: Jacinto Mosquera. Unidad asistencial de tratamiento de alcoholismo “ASVIDAL”. C/ Escultor Gregorio Fernández, nº 8, bajo. 36204 Vigo (Pontevedra).
  • Carmen Guimerans Freigeiro Psicóloga Clínica.
  • Berta Gómez Ben Psicóloga Clínica.
  • Nuria Dávila Domínguez Trabajadora Social.

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.20882/adicciones.384

Keywords:

detoxification, ambulatory, alcohol, dependency, safety

Abstract

GOAL: to show that out-patient detoxification is a safe process to treat alcoholic addiction. METHODS: a retrospective analysis of 100 detoxifications reported in the Alcoholism Unit of Vigo was performed. The following variables were included in the study: gender, age, detoxification environment, main drug used for detoxification, other drugs used for alcoholism treatment (aversive, anticraving), complete detoxification; symptoms of slight, moderate or serious abstinence. The following drugs were used for detoxification: Clometiazol in 66 cases, Tetrabamato in 29 and benzodiazepines in 3. A comparison analysis of these variables was carried out using the chi square test. RESULTS: The out-patient detoxification was successfully completed in 88 cases; slight or moderate symptoms of abstinence showed up in 15 cases, and none of them had serious symptoms of abstinence. Only 2 cases needed to be hospitalized. CONCLUSION: Out-patient detoxification is a safe process, if a reason for hospitalization is excluded.

References

Rodríguez – Martos, A. (1995). Tratamiento del síndrome de dependencia alcohólica. Papel de la Atención Primaria, 15, 44 – 57.

Hayashida, M. (1989). Comparative effectiveness and costs of inpatient and outpatient detoxification of patients with mild - to - moderate alcohol withdrawal syndrome. NEJM, 320, 358 - 365.

Fleeman, N. (1997). Alcohol home detoxification: a literature review. Alcohol & alcoholism, 32, 649 - 656.

Holbrook, A. (1999). Met a – analysis of benzodiazepine use in the treatment of alcohol withdrawal. CMAJ, 160, 649 – 655.

Mayo Smith, M. (1997). Pharmacological management of alcohol withdrawal. JAMA, 278, 144 - 151.

Shaw, G. K. (1995). Detoxification: the use of Benzodiazepines. Alcohol & alcoholism, 30, 765 - 770.

Morgan, M. Y. (1995). The management of alcohol withdrawal using Chlormethiazole. Alcohol & alcoholism, 30, 771 - 774.

Peters, D. H. (1994). Tiapride: a review of its pharmacology and therapeutic potential in the management of alcohol dependence syndrome. Drugs, 47:1010 - 1032.

Williams, D. (1998). The drug treatment of alcohol withdrawal symptoms: a systematic review. Alcohol & alcoholism, 33, 103 – 115.

Saitz, R. (1994). Individualized treatment for alcohol withdrawal: a randomized double - blind controlled trial. JAMA, 272, 519 - 523.

Swift, R. (1999). Drug therapy for alcohol dependence. NEJM, 340, 1482 - 1490.

Garbutt, J. (1999). Pharmacological treatment of alcoholic addiction. JAMA, 28, 1318 - 1325.

Downloads

Published

2005-03-01

Issue

Vol. 17 No. 1 (2005)

Section

Originals