Treatment of Unhealthy Alcohol Use

Unhealthy alcohol use represents the fifth leading cause of morbidity and mortality globally, and the first leading cause among persons 18 to 45 years of age. Despite the global impact of unhealthy alcohol use, the adoption of evidence-based treatments has been sluggish. Behavioral strategies for lower level drinking include the brief motivational interview, designed to be within the scope of any healthcare provider, and more specialist-driven approaches for those with alcohol use disorder (AUD) such as cognitive behavioral therapy and motivational enhancement therapy. Benzodiazepines remain the mainstay treatment for inpatient alcohol withdrawal treatment, whereas other medications have similar efficacy in managing patients in the outpatient setting with milder forms of withdrawal. For maintenance treatment of AUD, four FDA-approved medications exist, with efficacy in treating AUD, as well as several non–FDA-approved medications that have been found to be effective in promoting abstinence and reducing drinking. The use of medication to treat many patients with AUD falls within the scope of primary care providers. This review contains 6 tables and 54 references. Key Words: addiction, alcohol, counseling, drinking, pharmacotherapy, primary care, psychotherapy, relapse, treatment