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Diseases » Drug abuse » Diagnosis
 

Diagnosis of Drug abuse

Drug abuse Diagnosis: Book Excerpts

Diagnosis of Drug abuse: medical news summaries:

The following medical news items are relevant to diagnosis and misdiagnosis issues for Drug abuse:

Diagnostic Tests for Drug abuse: Online Medical Books

16 MEDICAL BOOKS ONLINE! Review excerpts from medical books online, free, without registration, for more information about diagnostis of Drug abuse.


Alcohol-related disorder: Diagnosis
(Professional Guide to Diseases (Eighth Edition))

For characteristic findings in patients with alcoholism, see Diagnosing substance dependence and related disorders, page 430.

Clinical findings may help support the diagnosis of alcohol-related disorder. For example, laboratory tests can confirm alcohol use and complications and document recent alcohol ingestion. A blood alcohol level ranging from 0.08% to 0.10% weight/volume (200 mg/dl) is accepted as the level of intoxication, depending on the state or country. The blood alcohol level in a physically dependent and tolerant drinker may exceed levels that would cause severe dysfunction or death in a nontolerant drinker. For example, a tolerant drinker might have a blood alcohol level of more than 0.5 mg (the usual lethal level) and still be alive, talking, and moving.

In severe hepatic disease, the blood urea nitrogen level is increased, and the serum glucose level is decreased. Further testing may reveal increased serum ammonia and amylase levels. Urine toxicology studies may help determine if the patient with alcohol withdrawal delirium or another acute complication abuses other drugs as well.

Liver function studies revealing increased levels of serum cholesterol, lactate dehydrogenase, alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase, and creatine phosphokinase may point to liver damage, and elevated serum amylase and lipase levels point to acute pancreatitis. A hematologic workup can identify anemia, thrombocytopenia, increased prothrombin time, and increased partial thromboplastin time.

» READ BOOK EXCERPT ONLINE »

Source: Professional Guide to Diseases (Eighth Edition), 2005

Substance abuse and induced disorders: Diagnosis
(Professional Guide to Diseases (Eighth Edition))

For characteristic findings in patients with this condition, see Diagnosing substance dependence and related disorders, page 430. Various tests can confirm drug use, determine the amount and type of drug taken, and reveal complications. For example, a serum or urine drug screen can detect recently ingested substances.

Characteristic findings in other tests include elevated serum globulin levels, hypoglycemia, leukocytosis, liver function abnormalities, positive Venereal Disease Research Laboratory test results, positive rapid plasma reagin test results due to elevated protein fractions, an elevated mean corpuscular hemoglobin level, elevated uric acid levels, and reduced blood urea nitrogen levels.

» READ BOOK EXCERPT ONLINE »

Source: Professional Guide to Diseases (Eighth Edition), 2005

Alcoholism: Diagnosis
(Handbook of Diseases)

For characteristic findings in patients with alcoholism, see Diagnosing substance dependence and related disorders, page 286.

Laboratory values may help support the diagnosis of alcoholism — for example, they can confirm alcohol use and complications and indicate recent alcohol ingestion:

  • Blood alcohol level of 0.10% weight/volume (200 mg/dl) is accepted as the level of intoxication.
  • Blood urea nitrogen level rises in severe hepatic disease.
  • Blood glucose level is decreased.
  • Serum ammonia and amylase levels are increased.
  • Urine toxicology studies may help detect other types of drug abuse in patients with alcohol withdrawal delirium or another acute complication.
  • Liver function studies reveal increased levels of serum cholesterol, lactate dehydrogenase, alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase, and creatine kinase (which indicate liver damage) and elevated serum amylase and lipase levels (which indicate acute pancreatitis).
  • Blood studies may identify anemia, thrombocytopenia, increased prothrombin time, and increased partial thromboplastin time.

    » READ BOOK EXCERPT ONLINE »

    Source: Handbook of Diseases, 2003

    Drug abuse and dependence: Diagnosis
    (Handbook of Diseases)

    The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 4th edition – Text Revision, gives characteristic findings for patients with drug dependence. (See Diagnosing substance dependence and related disorders, page 286.)

    Various tests can confirm drug use, determine the amount and type of drug taken, and reveal complications. For example, a serum or urine drug screen can detect recently ingested substances.

    Characteristic findings in other tests include elevated serum globulin levels, hypoglycemia, leukocytosis, liver function abnormalities, positive rapid plasma reagin test results because of elevated protein fractions, elevated mean corpuscular hemoglobin levels, elevated uric acid levels, and reduced blood urea nitrogen levels.

    » READ BOOK EXCERPT ONLINE »

    Source: Handbook of Diseases, 2003


     » Next page: Signs of Drug abuse

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