Medical treatment of psychiatric comorbidity in alcoholics

Authors
Citation
T. Wetterling, Medical treatment of psychiatric comorbidity in alcoholics, PSYCHIAT PR, 28(6), 2001, pp. 257
Citations number
52
Language
TEDESCO
art.tipo
Article
Categorie Soggetti
Psychiatry
Journal title
PSYCHIATRISCHE PRAXIS
ISSN journal
0303-4259 → ACNP
Volume
28
Issue
6
Year of publication
2001
Database
ISI
SICI code
0303-4259(200109)28:6<257:MTOPCI>2.0.ZU;2-T
Abstract
Epidemiological studies show that alcoholics have a high life-time prevalen ce of psychiatric illnesses, particularly of anxiety, depressive and schizo phrenic disorders. But the complex relationships between elevated alcohol c onsumption and psychiatric symptomatology frequently lead to problems in fi nding diagnosis and thereafter in planning therapeutic strategies. Methods: In this article the results of the studies concerning the medical treatmen t of psychiatric comorbidity of alcoholics are critically reviewed. Results : According to the available results a therapy with antidepressive drugs in dicated in alcoholics with depression lasting over 14 days. Anxiety disorde rs seem to have little influence on the course of alcoholism. Thus, an anxi olytic medication has to be considered carefully in view of the addiction p otency of tranquilizers. There is a paucity of data concerning drug treatme nt of schizophrenics with alcohol abuse. Thus far only a few studies have s hown an effect of a drug treatment of the psychiatric comorbidity on the dr inking behavior. Conclusion: There is a lack of studies on specific treatme nt strategies of psychiatric comorbid alcoholics, particularly of schizophr enics with alcohol abuse.