Alcohol-related emergency department admissions in an elderly population

Alcohol consumption in elderly people. What is the real magnitude of the problem?

The harmful effects of alcohol consumption have been well studied in the general population, but in the group of people over 80 years of age there is not much information regarding its relevance. It is estimated than 30%-40% of this population consumes alcohol regularly and around 10% engage in high-risk consumption. Furthermore, potential interactions between this substance and commonly consumed drugs in this age group, like oral antidiabetics, anticoagulants and antibiotics, may pose a risk of serious complications. In this sense, the aim of the present work was to analyze the magnitude of alcohol consumption within people over 80 years of age and the impact it has on their health. A narrative review of the available literature on the topic was carried out, which showed that alcohol consumption in people over 80 years of age is common in our environment and is associated with multiple complications and the development of different pathologies. The correct quantification of alcohol consumption in very elderly people must be integrated into the daily clinical practice of Medicine in general and Internal Medicine in particular.

The Burden of Alcohol-Related Emergency Department Visits in a Hospital of a Large European City

(1) Alcohol consumption contributes to the development of numerous diseases and is a big organizational burden on emergency departments (EDs). (2) We examined data on alcohol-related ED admissions in Poznan, Poland between 1 April 2019 and 31 March 2022. A total of 2290 patients' records were collected and analysed. The main goal was to determine the impact that these visits had on the functioning of the ED and the hospital. (3) The alcohol-related admission rate was significantly higher in males (78.95% vs. 21.05%), and the median blood alcohol concentration (BAC) level was 2.60 (1.78-3.38) ‱. Most of the visits took place at weekends and in the evening. Patients with higher BAC tended to stay longer in the ED, but had a lower chance of being admitted. A majority of patients required radiology and laboratory testing, 20.44% needed psychiatric examination, and 19.69% suffered trauma, mainly to the head. (4) Injuries and mental problems were the most common medical emergencies. This study presents trends in alcohol-related ED attendances, examines reasons for visits, and makes an attempt to assess overall burden on EDs.

The 12 -year evolution of emergency department alcohol-related admissions in a student city

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the trends in incidence of alcohol-intoxicated patients who present at the emergency department (ED), as well as the characteristics of these patients.

METHODS

Retrospective observational study based on data collected from 2008 until 2019 in two EDs in Leuven, Belgium. As a routine ED procedure, a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) test is ordered for all patients suspected of alcohol use as a primary presenting sign. Patients older than 10 years of age with a BAC ≥ 0.1 g/L were included. BAC levels, age, gender and proportion of repeat admissions were analysed.

RESULTS

The absolute number of patients with a positive BAC test increased from 1260 in 2008 to 1908 in 2019 (51.4%). Male-to-female ratio remained stable (2:1). In the University Hospital Leuven , the most represented age group shifted from 20-29 and 40-49 year olds (2008) to 50-59 year olds (2019). The most common age groups in Heilig Hart Leuven were 10-19 year olds and 20-29 year olds, which remained stable over the study period. The readmission rate was 18% within the entire study period with a range of 2 to 46 times.

CONCLUSION

Our study showed an annual increase in alcohol-related admissions. The highest rates of alcohol-related ED visits occurred in the age group 50-59. Patients with a repeat admission accounted for a large number of the total alcohol-related visits, placing a major burden on our healthcare system. It will be a challenge to timely detect patients at risk, regardless of their age, to prevent future ED admissions.