Episode 114.0 – Evaluation of the Alcohol Intoxicated Patient - a podcast by Core EM

This week we discuss the initial approach to assessment of the alcohol intoxicated patient.







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Tags: Alcohol Intoxication, Chronic Alcoholism, Wernicke's Encephalopathy











Show Notes

Take Home Points



Chronic drinkers and even just acutely intoxicated patients are at risk of many medical emergencies including life threatening trauma, infections, metabolic derangements and tox exposures.  Don’t dismiss them as “just drunk”

Undress these patients and perform a thorough head to toe examination, focusing on looking for e/o trauma and infection.  Get as much history as you can and be sure to ask about their drinking habits and etoh w/d hx to risk stratify them in your brain

Always check FS glucose and replete glucose as needed. 

Consider giving your chronic intoxicated patients thiamine injections semi-regularly to prevent WE, and look for e/o the triad in your patients as it can be easily overlooked and deadly if missed!



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