CASE STUDY ON ALCOHOLISM WITH COMPLETE
SOLUTIONS LATEST UPDATE
PSYCHIATRIC AND ALTERNATIVE THERAPIES CASES
Case Study 147
Scenario
J.G., a 49-year-old man, was seen in the emergency department 4 days ago, diagnosed with
alcohol intoxication, and released after 8 hours to his brother’s care. He was brought back to the
ED 12 hours ago with an active gastrointestinal (GI) bleed and is being admitted to the intensive
care unit (ICU); his diagnosis is upper GI bleed and alcohol intoxication.
You are assigned to admit and care for J.G. for the remainder of your shift. According to the ED
notes, his admission vital signs were 84/56, 110, 26, and he was vomiting bright red blood. He
was given IV fluids and transfused 6 units of packed red blood cells (PRBCs) in the ED. On
initial assessment, you note that J.G.'s VS are blood pressure 154/90, 110, 24; he has a slight
tremor in his hands, and he appears anxious. He complains of a headache and appears flushed.
You note that he has not had any emesis and has not had any frank red blood in his stool or
melena (black tarry stools) over the past 5 hours. In response to your questions, J.G. denies that
he has an alcohol problem but later admits to drinking approximately a fifth of vodka daily for
, the past 2 months. He reports that he was drinking vodka when he got home from the ED the first
time. He admits to having had seizures while withdrawing from alcohol in the past. He tells you
that he "just can't help it" and has strong urges to drink, but that he never means "to drink very
much." He has had trouble keeping a job over the past several months.
Chart View
Admission Lab Work
Hgb 10.9 g/dL
Hct 23%
ALT (formerly SGPT) 69 units/L
AST (formerly SGOT) 111 units/L
GGT 75 units/L
ETOH 291 units/L
1. Which data from your assessment of J.G. are of concern to you?
- Elevated BP & heart rate
- Tremor
- Anxious & flushed appearance
- Headache
- Amount & frequency of alcohol use
- History of seizures w/ withdrawal from alcohol
2. What do the admission laboratory results indicate?
SOLUTIONS LATEST UPDATE
PSYCHIATRIC AND ALTERNATIVE THERAPIES CASES
Case Study 147
Scenario
J.G., a 49-year-old man, was seen in the emergency department 4 days ago, diagnosed with
alcohol intoxication, and released after 8 hours to his brother’s care. He was brought back to the
ED 12 hours ago with an active gastrointestinal (GI) bleed and is being admitted to the intensive
care unit (ICU); his diagnosis is upper GI bleed and alcohol intoxication.
You are assigned to admit and care for J.G. for the remainder of your shift. According to the ED
notes, his admission vital signs were 84/56, 110, 26, and he was vomiting bright red blood. He
was given IV fluids and transfused 6 units of packed red blood cells (PRBCs) in the ED. On
initial assessment, you note that J.G.'s VS are blood pressure 154/90, 110, 24; he has a slight
tremor in his hands, and he appears anxious. He complains of a headache and appears flushed.
You note that he has not had any emesis and has not had any frank red blood in his stool or
melena (black tarry stools) over the past 5 hours. In response to your questions, J.G. denies that
he has an alcohol problem but later admits to drinking approximately a fifth of vodka daily for
, the past 2 months. He reports that he was drinking vodka when he got home from the ED the first
time. He admits to having had seizures while withdrawing from alcohol in the past. He tells you
that he "just can't help it" and has strong urges to drink, but that he never means "to drink very
much." He has had trouble keeping a job over the past several months.
Chart View
Admission Lab Work
Hgb 10.9 g/dL
Hct 23%
ALT (formerly SGPT) 69 units/L
AST (formerly SGOT) 111 units/L
GGT 75 units/L
ETOH 291 units/L
1. Which data from your assessment of J.G. are of concern to you?
- Elevated BP & heart rate
- Tremor
- Anxious & flushed appearance
- Headache
- Amount & frequency of alcohol use
- History of seizures w/ withdrawal from alcohol
2. What do the admission laboratory results indicate?
