Identification and Treatment of Alcohol Use Disorder

Haber, Paul S. M.D.

From Drug Health Services, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, and the Department of Medicine, Central Clinical School, University of Sydney — both in Sydney.

Dr. Haber can be contacted at [email protected] or at Drug Health Services, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital (K6S), Missenden Rd., Camperdown NSW 2050, Australia.

Allan H. Ropper, M.D., Editor

Disclosure forms provided by the author are available with the full text of this article at NEJM.org.

New England Journal of Medicine 392(3):p 258-266, January 16, 2025. | DOI: 10.1056/NEJMra2306511

KEY POINTS

IDENTIFICATION AND TREATMENT OF ALCOHOL USE DISORDER

A quantitative alcohol history should be recorded for all patients, because alcohol use contributes to many physical and mental disorders.
A person-centered, nonjudgmental approach should be adopted.
Brief interventions can be delivered effectively by most health care professionals.
Pharmacologic treatment is effective and underused.
Specialist services offer comprehensive care, including psychosocial interventions.
Follow-up is recommended owing to the relapsing and remitting nature of alcohol use disorder.