Help with AST/ALT results please????

Dave ARNP · Dec 28, 2003

Far too little information for me to give you my thoughts on this matter.

HOWEVER. You say he drinks alcohol. You also say he is taking Klonopin. Klonopin is a BENZO! Mixing Benzo's + Alcohol can cause bad things here. DEFINATELY something that needs to be addressed.

Dave

EricTAMUCC-BSN, BSN, RN · Dec 28, 2003

Good eye dave

OHmom2boys · Jan 1, 2004

purplemania, BSN, RN · Jan 1, 2004

Dang! Even if I had an opinion I wouldn't give it to you after that flaming post

ethelbsnrn · Jan 1, 2004

why are you so mad???

rstewart · Jan 1, 2004

I don't wish to be unkind, however, I become annoyed when someone requests information and then insults those who reply----particularly so when the information provided was right on the mark.

The original poster clearly volunteered that the patient was "on Buspar and Clonapin" (sic) and drinks on weekends including a recent 8 beer episode. When the responder correctly points out that mixing benzos and alcohol is a health issue which should be addressed, he is told that the patient is "too smart" to mix drugs and alcohol---- Also that his 2 sentence response was a "lecture" and a "high horse" opinion. If the medications were a non issue because they weren't being taken, why bring them up at all? And what should one think when they are told they are "on" this medication or that?

Well here's another such opinion: If he is "on" either Klonopin or BuSpar, and certainly both, the patient should be advised to refrain from drinking any alcohol. Further, even if his report of 8 beers on the weekends was 100% accurate, he is very close to the generally accepted definition of binge drinking. There is research showing that binge drinking can cause liver damage. This might provide a possible reason for the elevated ALT/AST. (A common reason, in fact probably the most common, is fatty liver reflecting excessive ETOH intake.)

But the responder was also correct in declining to offer an opinion due to limited information provided; many, many things can cause elevated ALT/AST levels. Certain drugs alone can cause this, Klonodin among them. Baseline levels, the severity of the increase, the relative inceases/ratios etc. all can provide clues as to the cause of the abnormal labs. Without a thorough H&P, medication review, additional labs etc., there is no way of knowing----I would suspect that this patient's abnormal enzymes are not the result of a solitary episode of beer consumption.

If one doesn't want to accept reasonable, professional advice from the information provided, I would suggest going to a generic chat room. Although the information obtained there may be incorrect, it may be more palatable.

Big Bab's · Jan 1, 2004

I'm with you guys!!.....Why is this poster so angry!?!?.....I saw NO lecture or anything even resembling "talking down" to someone.....The Dr. gave an accurate answer, period.