[Perioperative problems in alcoholics and patients with cerebrovascular disorders--introductory references and...

1. How can the diagnosis of "chronic alcohol abuse" be ascertained if the admission from the patient and his surroundings is lacking? 2. Is the operative risk for an alcoholic, aside from DT, reason for special prevention? 3. The practice of eliminating alcohol dependency by consuming drugs with similar effects: is polytoxicomania a reason for the increase in abortive delirious conditions? 4. Disagreement of pre- and perioperative prophylaxis for DT--yes or no? Questionnaire of 641 surgeons in 1/1990 in FRG: 30% no, 35% yes using alcohol, 35% yes with drugs. 5. Are drugs that are effective in DT also effective for prophylaxis? Combinations of four or more drugs can hardly be recommended if only because of the increased possibility of undesirable effects (interactions). 6. There are two approaches in therapy of DT: substitution the alcohol by adequate substances and symptom-oriented differential therapy by combining 2-3 pharmaceutic drugs.