Prognosis

Patients with at-risk drinking may benefit from brief intervention, reducing their alcohol use substantially or initiating abstinence. A minority of these patients will continue to progress in their use of alcohol, eventually meeting criteria for alcohol use disorder.[124]

Alcohol use disorder tends to run a chronic course. While treatment does impact the condition positively, return to use is common, particularly in the first 12 months after treatment initiation.[3][125]​​​ Nonetheless, many patients will successfully reduce or stop their drinking, often without clinician support. There are many opportunities for clinicians to prevent harms from alcohol use. Medication treatments are underutilized for alcohol use disorders, despite their efficacy.[126] Treatment that combines the use of psychosocial interventions with pharmacotherapy can improve outcomes for those with alcohol use disorder, versus single-modality treatment.​​[61][62]

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