CONTENTS

Table of Contents
Introduction

1. Overview
2. Recognizing Alcohol Misuse and Abuse in Older Adults
3. Alcohol and Aging
4. Diagnosing Alcohol Problems in Older Adults
5. Recognizing Other Forms of Substance Abuse
6. Prevention and Early Intervention Strategies
7. Treatment
8. Outcomes and Cost Issues in Alcohol Treatment for Older Adults
9. Legal and Ethical Issues

Supplements
Resources

At Any Age, It Does Matter:
Substance Abuse and Older Adults (for Professionals)

Drug-Alcohol Interactions

Any use of drugs and alcohol carries risk, abuse of these substances raises the risk, and multiple drug use further increases the risk. A recent study documented the many possible unfavorable reactions between medications and alcohol.⁵⁰ For example:

• Chronic alcoholics who use even therapeutic doses of acetaminophen (e.g., Tylenol) may experience liver damage. A recent study found that the combination of alcohol and over-the-counter pain medications was the most common source of adverse drug reactions among older patients.⁵¹
• Alcohol can increase lithium toxicity and enhance central nervous system depression in persons taking tricyclic antidepressants (e.g., Elavil, Wellbutrin).
• High doses of benzodiazepines (e.g., Valium, Ativan, Halcion) used in conjunction with alcohol or barbiturates can be lethal.⁴¹

Such interactions can result from a lack of understanding about the potential dangers of consuming alcohol when taking certain medications.