Interventions at Discharge After Admission for Alcohol Withdrawal

In a retrospective study, the only discharge intervention associated with fewer readmissions and complete alcohol abstinence was discharge to residential treatment programs.

Hospital admission for alcohol withdrawal serves as an opportunity for pharmacotherapy initiation, enrollment in treatment programs, or both, which can alter disease course. In this retrospective study of ≈600 patients (96% men) admitted for alcohol withdrawal at 19 Veterans Affairs hospitals during 1 year (2018–2019), researchers evaluated prescription rates of medications for alcohol use disorder (AUD; e.g., naltrexone, acamprosate, disulfiram, gabapentin, topiramate) and scheduled follow-up appointments.

Neither prescription of AUD agents (to 51% of patients) at hospital discharge nor scheduled follow-up appointments at discharge were associated with 30-day readmissions or 6-month alcohol abstinence. Only direct discharge to residential A…

Reviewing Author

Clement D. Lee, MD, MSc

Disclosures

Nothing to disclose

Clement D. Lee, MD, MSc

Disclosures

Nothing to disclose

Interventions at Discharge After Admission for Alcohol Withdrawal

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Reviewing Author