Detecting alcohol-related problems among general hospital patients with heart disease.
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.
Lykouras
L
L
Department of Psychiatry, University of Athens, Eginition Hospital, Athens, Greece.
Rontos
I
I
Rontos
K
K
Katsaras
A
A
Markoulis
T
T
Papasteriades
E
E
Christodoulou
G N
GN
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D019973:Alcohol-Related Disorders / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis*; D004522:Educational Status; D005260:Female; D006331:Heart Diseases / Q000209:etiology*; D006801:Humans; D007297:Inpatients; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D017533:Marital Status; D008875:Middle Aged; D009790:Occupations; D015995:Prevalence; D012907:Smoking; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors