Assessment of drinking patterns in general practice.

A study was undertaken in a north London general practice to see which questions and investigations were useful in assessing the drinking patterns of patients. In a 10-month period in 1984, 855 patients were interviewed by means of a questionnaire about quantity and frequency of drinking and the CAGE questionnaire to determine their drinking habits. They were also asked to blow into an alcolmeter. A blood sample was taken from 119 patients who said they drank more than 20 units of alcohol weekly or who scored more than two on the CAGE questionnaire or who had a positive alcolmeter reading, and gamma glutamyl transpeptidase levels and mean corpuscular volume were determined.The study showed that questions about quantity and frequency of drinking, taking under two minutes to administer in the consultation, are sufficient to raise suspicions about drinking problems. Detailed investigation can then be undertaken in patients who say they drink more than 20 units of alcohol weekly.