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Detecting alcohol-related problems among general hospital patients with heart disease
L Lykouras1, I Rontos, K Rontos
1Department of Psychiatry, University of Athens, Eginition Hospital, Athens, Greece.
Insights
Identifying alcohol-related problems in cardiac patients is crucial. Men under 50 with cardiac disease and lower education are at higher risk for abnormal drinking, necessitating early intervention.
Area of Science:
- Cardiology
- Addiction Medicine
- Public Health
Background:
- Epidemiologic studies link moderate alcohol consumption to reduced coronary heart disease risk.
- Conversely, excessive alcohol intake is a significant cause of heart disease.
- Screening cardiac inpatients for alcohol-related issues is clinically important.
Purpose of the Study:
- To identify the prevalence of alcohol-related problems in cardiac inpatients.
- To determine sociodemographic and clinical factors associated with these problems.
Main Methods:
- A CAGE questionnaire was used to screen 346 cardiac inpatients (209 male, 137 female).
- Logistic regression analysis examined associations between alcohol-related problems and patient variables.
Main Results:
- 16.5% of patients screened positive for alcohol-related problems.
- Problems were significantly associated with male sex (p=0.00), younger age (p=0.0497), and lower educational level (p=0.0524).
- Men under 50 with cardiac disease and lower education exhibited a high-risk profile (41.9% prevalence).
Conclusions:
- Specific patient characteristics can identify cardiology patients at higher risk for alcohol-related problems.
- Early identification and comprehensive treatment are vital for secondary prevention in this population.
Background:
Certain epidemiologic studies suggest that moderate alcohol consumption decreases the risk of coronary heart disease. However, long-term excessive alcohol drinking is considered a major cause for a significant incidence of heart disease. Identifying alcohol-related problems among inpatients with cardiac disease is important.
Methods:
In this study, 209 male and 137 female inpatients with cardiac disease were screened for alcohol-related problems using the CAGE questionnaire. Associations of alcohol-related problems with sociodemographic and clinical variables were also investigated.
Results:
Fifty-seven patients (16.5%) scoring positively on the CAGE questionnaire were considered as having alcohol-related problems. Logistic regression analysis revealed that alcohol-related problems were associated with sex (p = 0.00), age (p = 0.0497), and educational level (p = 0.0524). Men less than age 50, with cardiac disease and of lower education level should be considered at high risk for abnormal drinking. The probability increases from 5.2% for the whole sample to 41.9% for the group with these specific characteristics.
Conclusions:
The characteristics are useful for constructing a profile of the cardiology patient who is more likely to have alcohol-related problems. Early identification and vigorous and holistic treatment of these patients is important for secondary prevention of alcohol-related problems.