Assessing Physical Wellbeing

According to the professional background and skills of the health professional, known or suspected alcohol-related physical disorders should be assessed. This will involve: 

• • • Eliciting a history of medical disorders with known relation to alcohol 

    • noting medical disorders where alcohol may have been implicated 

    • identifying accidents and other causes of trauma 

    • current physical symptoms 

    • medication taken for physical disorders 

    • other previous or current health problems related to drinking. 

If any active medical issues are evident, it is appropriate to encourage the patient to see their general or other medical practitioner. 

Medical practitioners should conduct a thorough medical assessment, including history, examination and clinical investigations. Physical examination should include assessment for signs of intoxication or withdrawal, signs of liver disease, vital signs (temperature, blood pressure, pulse) and screen for organic brain damage. 

The value of telling the patient the results of their medical examination and any clinical investigations cannot be over-emphasised. Discussion about the implications of abnormal liver function tests has been shown to reduce subsequent alcohol consumption. The advantages of feedback are less clear when medical tests show normal results. However, the assessment should allow patients to accurately consider the degree of their alcohol-related problems and normal medical results should not detract from this endeavour. Normal results can be examined within the context of a clinical interaction.