Every year more than 100,000 people with an alcohol intoxication are admitted to German hospitals. Many of them refuse inpatient observation or treatment. Therefore the physician in charge at the emergency room has to decide, how to proceed. The capacity to consent has to be judged, especially if the patient insists on being discharged. In this context the risks of injuries, complicated alcohol withdrawal, aggressive and suicidal behavior must be evaluated. In this article the juridical aspects and the necessary mental and physical assessments especially in case of discharge of the patient against medical advice are presented. Essential aspects are summarized in checklists.
Keywords: Alcohol intoxication; Alcohol withdrawal; Suicidality; Treatment consent capacity.