title: Alcoholism in the elderly.
abstract: Common criteria for recognizing alcoholism are often not applicable to older patients. Because of physiologic changes associated with aging, a stable pattern of moderate alcohol consumption can begin to cause problems in late life. Frequent presentations include confusion, falls, emotional lability and adverse drug interactions. The physician can use the presenting complaint to focus on the alcohol problem. The patient can then proceed through detoxification to a comprehensive treatment program.
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000437:Alcoholism / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy; D006801:Humans