Dual Diagnosis: Managing the Complex Patient with Depression & Alcohol Use Disorder

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Activity Dates: 05/10/2021 - 04/22/2024

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Target Audience

This course is designed for pharmacists, nurse practitioners or other health care professionals involved in the comprehensive medication management of psychiatric and/or neurological patients.

Session Summary

Depressive disorders are the most common comorbid psychiatric disorders among those with alcohol use disorder (AUD). Up to one third of those with depression have AUD. Illness severity is greater and the prognosis is poorer when these co-occur, compared to either disorder by itself. For those with major depressive disorder whose symptoms fail to adequately respond to treatment, patients should be evaluated for concurrent alcohol or other substance abuse. Recovery from depression and comorbid AUD appears to be linked, with the remission from one condition strongly related to remission from the other.  Antidepressants are effective for the treatment of depression in patients with AUD, with a number needed to treat of 9, and the severity of drinking does not impact antidepressant effectiveness. Further, combining antidepressants and alcohol use disorder medications for this population in clinical trials has demonstrated benefit, with positive outcomes for both AUD and depressive symptoms. There are no significant drug interactions between antidepressants and naltrexone, acamprosate, or topiramate, medications used to manage AUD. Despite this, psychiatric providers are often uncomfortable addressing comorbid alcohol use.  In this session, participants gain knowledge in treating comorbid depression and AUD.

Course Requirements

You will proceed through the following steps to satisfactorily complete this course:

  • Sign in (or create a FREE account).
  • Register for this course.
  • Review the full content of the activity and reflect upon its teachings.
  • Complete the post-test at the end of the activity no later than the closing activity date.
  • Complete the evaluation at the end of the activity.
  • If necessary, complete the post-test retest no later than the closing activity date.
  • Receive a passing grade (70%).
  • Provide the necessary details in your profile to ensure correct reporting by AAPP to CPE Monitor.

Upon successful completion, ACPE credit is reported within 24 hours to CPE Monitor although transcripts can be retrieved by participants online in their ACPE Transcript.

Faculty Information

Dana Chiulli, PharmD, BCPP

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Learning Objectives

  1. Discuss the prevalence of AUD in patients with depressive disorders, and the impact that each has on the prognosis of the other.
  2. Review the literature describing the pharmacologic management of comorbid depression and AUD.
  3. Given a patient case, describe an optimal pharmacotherapeutic treatment plan.

Continuing Education Credit and Disclosures

Activity Dates: 05/10/2021 - 04/22/2024
ACPE Contact Hours: 1
ACPE Number: 0284-0000-21-014-H01-P (Knowledge)
Nursing Credit Reminder: Note that ACPE credit is accepted for ANCC Certification Renewal and AANPCB advanced practice provider content. For specific questions related to your organization's acceptance of ACPE continuing education units, please contact your organization directly.

ACPEThe College of Psychiatric and Neurologic Pharmacists is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education as a provider of continuing pharmacy education.

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