ABSTRACT
Principles of Management • Every trau m a p a tie n t p resents w ith the possib ility th a t acute o r ch ron ic d rug
or alcohol use will com plica te h is or h e r hosp ital course. • A lcohol and drugs are am ong the m ost c o m m o n underly ing causes o f b o th
accidental and in ten tio n a l injury. • T h e consequences o f p re trau m a d ru g an d alcohol use are extrem ely variable. • Som e investigators have fo u n d th a t, for a given severity o f injury, pa tien ts
w ith positive alcohol levels seem to have a low er m ortality . O th ers have fo u n d n o influence, o r a h igher m ortality . Som e investigators have fo u n d th a t g reater resuscita tion volum es w ere required in pa tien ts w ith alcohol in th e ir system s at the tim e o f traum a, or th a t catecho lam ine response in trau m a p atien ts was b lu n te d by alcohol.
