engleski

Screening with AUDIT (Alcohol User Disorders Identification Test) questionnaire in cardiovascular and pulmonary patients

With the introduction of AUDIT questionnaire in treatment of patients we have tried to determine whether ther are any alcohol abuse problems in the tested groups. The patients were tested as a part of cardiology and pulmonology examination. We validate 100 cardiovascular patients with different cardiovascular diagnosis and 30 pulmonary patients with different pulmonological diagnoses. Screening with AUDIT questionnaire was part of routine outpatient medical examination. Apart from AUDIT questionnaire we collected the information regarding tobacco smoking and psychotropic medication intake. Frequently tested conditions of cardiovascular patients included: arterial hypertension, cardiac rhythm disturbances and circulation diseases ; frequently tested pulmonological conditions were: COPD, chronic bronchitis, bronchial asthma and carcinoma of the bronchi. None of cardiovascular patients or pulmonological patients was treated for alcohol abuse (alcoholism). The purpose of this paper was to represent the usefulness of AUDIT questionnaire screening of cardiovascular and pulmonological patients on their medical examination. Alcohol-induced disorders can significantly impede and complicate the "basic disease" which is the issue for medical examination. We think that it would be useful if AUDIT questionnaire became part of routine medical examination of cardiovascular and pulmonological patients. Screening with AUDIT questionnaire would be also useful as a part of general medical examination. The question is whether the data obtained from screening is accurate. Screening with AUDIT questionnaire should be actively performed by the health practitioner with minimum education in alcoholism problem (physician, nurse or psychologist).

AUDIT questionnaire; alcoholism

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