title: Prevalence and recognition of alcoholism in emergency department patients.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Alcohol addiction is very common in India, and is a major risk factor and etiology of many acute medical and surgical emergencies. Alcohol addiction history is frequently missed by medical team in emergency department. The present study is to investigate the prevalence of alcoholism among emergency department patients and to determine its rate of recognition by the medical team.
  
  
  METHODS
  It is double blind cross-sectional study done in a 750 bedded tertiary care hospital (Mamata general hospital, Khammam). The study population consisted of all patients admitted in the emergency room and who stayed in the hospital for a minimum period of 24 hours between 1(st) March 2013 and 30(th) April 2013.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Total of 144 patients were interviewed, 62 (43.05%) were identified as alcoholics in emergency department by treating doctors. On reviewing the records additional 11 (7.63%) were identified as alcoholics, out of which 2 (1.38%) were fulfilling the criteria for severe alcoholism.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Alcoholism is often not investigated and diagnosed on hospital admission. Standardized diagnostic tool will improve the identification of alcoholic patients. This is the first step to reduce alcohol consumption and offer appropriate treatment to these patients.
authors.affiliation: Resident, Department of Internal Medicine, Mamata Medical College , Andhra Pradesh-507002, India .
authors.forename: Murali
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Krishna
authors.affiliation: Professor, Department of Internal Medicine, Mamata Medical College , Andhra Pradesh-507002, India .
authors.forename: Dharma Rao
authors.initials: DR
authors.lastname: Vanamali
keywords: Alcohol; Alcoholism; Audit