title: Addiction, alcoholism, and anesthesia.
abstract: The two major groups of drug abusers are hard drug addicts and alcoholics. Pulmonary disease and hepatic dysfunction are common in both groups. Choice of anesthetic agents for drug abusers centers around associated illnesses and their severity. The alcoholic often needs vitamin therapy and sedation, but attempting to change drug habits in the face of an acute illness is dangerous. An organized plan of approach is more important than choice of therapeutic agent.
mesh_terms: D000437:Alcoholism / Q000150:complications*; D000758:Anesthesia; D006331:Heart Diseases / Q000150:complications; D006801:Humans; D008104:Liver Cirrhosis, Alcoholic / Q000150:complications; D008171:Lung Diseases / Q000150:complications; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000150:complications*; D013514:Surgical Procedures, Operative