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A very large proportion of persons seen in emergency room practice have been drinking heavily and/ or are alcoholics. Alcohol may not only be a problem in its own right, as in the case of gross intoxication, coma, and withdrawal states, but it is also a very common cause, precipitant, or accompaniment of other emergency conditions. It is well known that over half of auto crash victims in most series are found to have alcohol blood levels at or above the "legally intoxicated" level. Drinking and alcoholism are very commonly associated with assaults, falls, and suicide attempts. Alcohol intoxication may also complicate or aggravate other disorders. It may overlap with psychiatric disorders such as depression. At times an episode of intoxication may represent an appeal for help, just like a suicide attempt [1]. In a series of 305 alcoholics referred to the emergency room, it was found that the following categories of presenting complaints were the most common, in order of frequency: (1) social problems such as simple drunkenness, lack of funds, need for a rest, (2) acute physical symptoms associated with alcohol. (3) anxiety or depressive symptoms, (4) danger to self or others, (5) socially unacceptable behavior [2]. I will take up the emergencies related to alcoholism in the following order: Intoxication, interaction of alcohol with other drugs, alcohol withdrawal states, alcohol psychoses, and general measures including follow-up.

DOI: 10.1007/978-94-011-8108-2_11

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