Alcohol Withdrawal Syndrome – Signs, Diagnosis and Treatment

SYMPTOMS:

• In chronic people when they attempt to stop drinking (most severe symptoms in patients who have been drinking for longest period), aggravation of tremulousness or “shakes” occurs.
• Severe anxiety.
• Insomnia
• Inability to concentrate.
• Feeling of unreality.
• In most severe cases trunkal atoxia.
• Nausea.
• Vomiting.
• Diarrhoea.
• Abdominal cramps.
• Hallucination within 24 to 25 days after alcohol withdrawal (25%).
• Patients remain able to describe hallucinations and communicate coherently.
• “Pum Fits” or grand mal seizures may be first symptoms.
• Delirium tremens is a combination of severe tremulousness and hallucination in severe form.

SIGNS:

• Evidence of dehydration.
• Tachycardia.
• Dilation of pupils.
• Profuse sweating.
• Increased temperature may be observed.
• Increased blood pressure.

CAUSES:

• Alcohol withdrawal alone may precipitate syndrome.
• Thiamine deficiency and other nutritional deficiency occur in determining this syndrome.

Alcohol that mesmerizes people

DIAGNOSIS:

• Blood test.
• Liver function test.
• Pyruvate serum level test.
• Pyruvate tolerance curve.

TREATMENT:

• Vitamin B complex.
• Complete diet re-evaluation.
• Antiemetic.
• Antacids.
• Ataractics.
• Sedatives.
• Anti-convulsants.

FUTURE CAUSES:

Often limited to 3 to 7days. Delirium tremens mortality estimated between 2% and 12%. Repeated attacks following resumption and discontinuation or increasing or decreasing intake of alcohol. A delayed type of syndrome with milder symptoms is reported that may occur years after discontinuation of alcohol intake.