The Liver Meeting 2019-Management of Alcohol Use Disorder Before and After Transplantation

Management of Alcohol Use Disorder Before and After Transplantation

Video Transcription

Video Summary

Dr. Younes discusses the importance of treating addiction in patients with alcohol-related liver disease (ALD) to achieve and maintain alcohol abstinence, emphasizing its critical role in improving survival rates. Behavioral treatments like Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT) and medications such as disulfiram and naltrexone are effective but underutilized, with only a small percentage of patients receiving treatment. New medications like baclofen, gabapentin, and varenicline show potential but need further research, especially in patients with ALD. Integrating addiction treatment into hepatology care, even in liver transplant centers, can significantly improve patient outcomes. The challenge lies in implementing these treatments in clinical practice and increasing education and training in primary care to address alcohol use disorder effectively.

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Presenter: Lorenzo Leggio

Keywords

addiction treatment

alcohol-related liver disease

behavioral treatments

medications

patient outcomes