Alcohol
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Alcohol consumption, especially at levels above 3 drinks/day, causes eight different types of cancer. We aimed to estimate the percentage and number of incident cancer cases diagnosed in Texas in 2015 that were attributable to alcohol consumption. We further examined for differences in these estimates across major population racial/ethnic subgroups. ⋯ Despite Hispanics having the highest percent of non-consumption of alcohol (65.3%, compared with 45.5% of non-Hispanic Whites), Hispanics had a slightly higher proportion of alcohol-attributable cancers than non-Hispanic Whites (3.0% and 2.7%, respectively). Alcohol consumption is an important target for intervention by public health programs aimed toward addressing cancer prevention. Differences in alcohol-attributable cancer burden among racial/ethnic subgroups should be acknowledged to provide appropriately tailored prevention recommendations.
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Comparative Study
Phenobarbital and symptom-triggered lorazepam versus lorazepam alone for severe alcohol withdrawal in the intensive care unit.
A symptom-triggered lorazepam regimen is the standard for treating alcohol withdrawal syndrome (AWS) in an inpatient setting. However, in severe AWS, lorazepam requirements can reach significant amounts and lead to risk of delirium and propylene glycol toxicity. Phenobarbital has been shown to be an effective adjunctive therapy for AWS, reducing benzodiazepine use, in the emergency department. ⋯ Three patients in the phenobarbital-adjunct group received mechanical ventilation after starting phenobarbital treatment. There were no new incidences of hypotension or increased osmol gap >10 mmol/L after starting treatment in both groups. In conclusion, phenobarbital is an effective adjunct to symptom-triggered lorazepam in severe alcohol withdrawal in the ICU with no significant difference in adverse events.
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Comparative Study
Lorazepam versus chlordiazepoxide for the treatment of alcohol withdrawal syndrome and prevention of delirium tremens in general medicine ward patients.
Alcohol withdrawal syndrome (AWS) is a serious complication of abrupt alcohol cessation. Severe AWS can develop into delirium tremens (DT), which is potentially life-threatening. Lorazepam (LOR) and chlordiazepoxide (CDE) are mainstays of therapy for AWS. ⋯ No adverse events related to BZD were noted in either group. Hospital outcomes did not differ between the groups, but patients treated with CDE may require more adjuvant therapy to control symptoms of AWS. Both agents appear equally effective at preventing the development of DT in those patients admitted to general medicine wards.
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This study investigated the relationship between drinking behavior (alcohol consumption frequency, average alcohol intake per drinking session) and the prevalence of metabolic syndrome (MetS) and its components (central obesity, raised triglycerides, decreased HDL cholesterol, raised blood pressure, raised fasting plasma glucose) in Korean men and women above the age of 20. ⋯ Frequent alcohol consumption and high alcohol intake per drinking session were associated with higher prevalence of MetS and its components for Korean men; alcohol intake per drinking session only was associated with higher prevalence of MetS and its components for Korean women.
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Socioeconomic status and alcohol use in low- and lower-middle income countries: A systematic review.
Harmful use of alcohol is a major cause of global morbidity and mortality. The role of alcohol as a driver of the unfolding non-communicable disease crisis has led to high-profile calls for better epidemiological data. Despite causing a disproportionate amount of harm in low-income groups, there is a critical dearth of evidence on the intra-national socioeconomic patterning of alcohol use in low- and lower-middle income countries (LLMICs). This review aims to fill the gap, providing evidence on the association between socioeconomic status (SES) and alcohol use in these low-income settings. ⋯ The lack of consistency between studies and the abject lack of data from the majority of LLMICs present a major barrier to policymakers tasked with reducing alcohol-related harm in these settings. Adherence to standardized definitions, the publication of WHO survey data on alcohol and SES, and enhanced surveillance is needed to build an accurate picture of the socioeconomic patterning of alcohol use in developing countries.