Alcohol use disorder is characterized by an unrelenting pattern of drinking that leads to distress or impairment, with symptoms ranging from mild to severe. Alcohol withdrawal is a cluster of symptoms experienced by an individual with sustained alcohol use once alcohol consumption suddenly decreases or is stopped. This course examines alcohol use disorder and withdrawal, discussing their physiological effects, risk factors, signs of withdrawal, and how withdrawal is diagnosed and treated, in addition to providing important nursing considerations when caring for the alcohol dependent patient.
