From Clinicaltools.com

Course Details

MedStudentLearning.com URL

Description

This course provides a brief overview of current pharmaceutical interventions to treat alcohol use disorders. If the treatment is appropriate, you can administer these interventions to help patients halt their negative alcohol use and improve patient health.

Need

Physicians-in-training need to understand drug mechanism of action so that the appropriate pharmacotherapy for alcohol use disorders can be prescribed.

Needs Analysis

In the spring of 2008, we conducted a focus group with 13 medical school faculty and addiction consultants. The results are summarized below:

Brief Summary: The focus group shaped our module outline and content. With a rating scale of 1-5, the importance of Pharmacology as a course was rated 4.38. The belief that the average medical student would benefit from additional instruction in this topic was rated 4.42, a rating of 4.33 was deemed for encouragement of students to learn more about the topic, and the belief that the topic aligned with recommended physician competencies in the area of substance abuse was rated 4.40. Faculty thought that the module would fit easily into their institution's curriculum, with a rating of 4.17, and that they would include this module in their current teachings, with a rating of 4.25. The most respondents (8) thought the topic area should have 1 hours of lecture time devoted to it. Also, multiple areas of concentration were suggested in the topic area and these were taken into consideration when constructing the course.

Vision

Future physicians will be able to appropriately prescribe medications to halt negative alcohol use if this type of treatment is warranted.

Mission

To present physicians-in-training with the pharmacotherapy alternatives for treating alcohol use disorders and the drug mechanism of action.

Goal

You will understand how the three drugs prescribed for alcohol use disorders affect patient outcomes.

Learning Objectives

Explain to patients how different pharmacotherapies are used to halt negative alcohol use
Select the appropriate pharmacotherapy based on the individual patient needs
Describe emerging pharmacotherapies and the potential to treat alcohol use disorders

Case Studies

Case Study: George

Educational Objectives

Case Goal: Physicians-in-training should be able to identify medications currently available to treat alcohol dependence and choose the best prescription for the patient.

Course Objectives Met: (1) and (2)

Expected Diagnosis: Alcohol dependent

Take Home Message/Practice Tip: George is having an adverse reaction to Naltrexone. You should choose the most appropriate pharmacotherapy for George based on his history and known side effects.

Case Specifics

Patient: George - 35YOBM

Case Information: George, a 35 year-old male, has been dependent on alcohol for 5 years. He recently started taking Naltrexone, but was significantly effected by the drug's side effects. It seems that George may be intolerant of Naltrexone.

Chief Complaint: George is having side effects of Naltrexone

Relevant Past Medical, Psychosocial, Family History: Unknown