Kieran Reynolds talks to Leslie Wong, Advanced Clinical Pharmacist in Hepatology in the Eastern Liver Network and Communications Officer at the British Hepatology Pharmacy Group (BHPG) about alcohol related liver disease (ARLD). Discussion includes what ARLD is, screening tools to help identify possible alcohol misuse, treatment of ARLD; including medicines used in medically assisted alcohol withdrawal and medicines used to help support abstinence, as well as long term vitamin supplementation.

Leslie Wong - Advanced Clinical Pharmacist in Hepatology in the Eastern Liver Network and Communications Officer at the BHPG

Kieran Reynolds - Advanced Specialist Pharmacist (Medicines Governance), SPS

Useful links:

The British Liver Trust’s information on alcohol and liver disease

https://britishlivertrust.org.uk/information-and-support/risks-and-causes/alcohol/#:~:text=Regularly%20drinking%20over%20the%20recommended%20limit%20increases%20the,their%20health.%20Alcohol%20is%20broken-down%20by%20the%20liver.

The British Liver Trust’s information on alcohol-related liver disease (ARLD)

https://britishlivertrust.org.uk/information-and-support/liver-conditions/alcohol-related-liver-disease/

MD+CALC AUDIT-C calculator

https://www.mdcalc.com/calc/2021/audit-c-alcohol-use

Drinkaware’s Drinking Check

https://www.drinkaware.co.uk/tools/drinking-check/#/overview

DrinkAware information on Cutting your drinking with alcohol-free or low alcohol drinks

https://www.drinkaware.co.uk/advice-and-support/alcohol-free-drinks/cutting-your-drinking-with-alcohol-free-or-low-alcohol-drinks/

SPS article on using and prescribing thiamine in alcohol dependence

https://www.sps.nhs.uk/articles/using-and-prescribing-thiamine-in-alcohol-dependence/

Regional Medicines Optimisation Committee (RMOC) position statement on oral vitamin B supplementation in alcoholism (PDF)

https://www.wyicsapc.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/RMOC-Position-Statement-Oral-Vitamin-B-supplementation-in-alcoholism-November-2019.pdf

NICE Clinical Guideline 115 on Alcohol-use disorders: diagnosis, assessment and management of harmful drinking (high-risk drinking) and alcohol dependence

https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/CG115

UKHSA Alcohol structured advice tool

https://khub.net/web/phe-national/public-library/-/document_library/v2WsRK3ZlEig/view_file/377334553?_com_liferay_document_library_web_portlet_DLPortlet_INSTANCE_v2WsRK3ZlEig_redirect=https%3A%2F%2Fkhub.net%3A443%2Fweb%2Fphe-national%2Fpublic-library%2F-%2Fdocument_library%2Fv2WsRK3ZlEig%2Fview%2F261816192%3F_com_liferay_document_library_web_portlet_DLPortlet_INSTANCE_v2WsRK3ZlEig_redirect%3Dhttps%253A%252F%252Fkhub.net%253A443%252Fweb%252Fphe-national%252Fpublic-library%252F-%252Fdocument_library%252Fv2WsRK3ZlEig%252Fview%252F174103489

e-learning for healthcare Alcohol Identification and Brief Advice programme

https://www.e-lfh.org.uk/programmes/alcohol/