[The practice guideline 'Problematic alcohol consumption' (second revision) from the Dutch College of General Practitioners; a response from the perspective of general practice].
The recently revised version of the practice guideline 'Problematic alcohol consumption' from the Dutch College of General Practitioners offers realistic advice to general practitioners on how to manage problem drinkers. The number of patients with alcohol problems tends to increase among women of middle age. The proportion of patients that report an alcohol problem themselves is larger than is usually assumed. Questionnaires are oflimited value in the detection of an alcohol problem. The general practitioner should look at problem drinking as a chronic disease that demands structured disease management and monitoring. This perspective will lead to less frustration in handling both the problem and the patients.
van den Bosch
W J H M
WJ
Universitair Medisch Centrum St Radboud, afd. Huisartsgeneeskunde, Postbus 9101, 6500 HB Nijmegen. w.vandenbosch@hag.umcn.nl
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000437:Alcoholism / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000523:psychology; D005194:Family Practice / Q000592:standards*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009426:Netherlands; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic; D010818:Practice Patterns, Physicians'; D012737:Sex Factors; D012955:Societies, Medical