Alcohol withdrawal overview
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Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]; Associate Editor(s)-in-Chief: Shakiba Hassanzadeh, MD[2] Aditya Govindavarjhulla, M.B.B.S. [3]
Overview
Alcohol withdrawal refers to symptoms that can occur when a person who has been drinking alcohol every day suddenly stops drinking alcohol.
Overview
Historical Perspective
Classification
Stages of Alcohol Withdrawal Syndrome (AWS) may be classified as:[1]
- Uncomplicated withdrawal (first 6 hours)
- Alcohol hallucinosis (8-12 hours)
- Alcohol withdrawal seizures (12-24 hours)
- Alcohol withdrawal delirium (24-72 hours)
Pathophysiology
Causes
Alcohol withdrawal occurs with sudden discontinuation of alcohol intake after consumption of large quantities of alcohol for more than two weeks.[2]
Differentiating Alcohol Withdrawal from Other Diseases
Alcohol withdrawal must also be differentiated from other diseases that cause seizures, personality changes, altered level of consciousness and hand tremors (asterixis). The differentials include the following:[3][4][5][6][7][8][9][10][11][12][13][14]
- Hepatic encephalopathy
- Alcohol intoxication
- Uremia
- Wernicke encephalopathy
- Toxic encephalopathy from drugs
- Altered intracranial pressure
- Intoxication by chemical agents
- Malnutrition
- Hypoxic brain injury
- Meningitis and encephalitis
- Hypoglycemia
- Diabetic ketoacidosis
- Hypoglycemia
- Sedative, hypnotic, or anxiolytic withdrawal
Epidemiology and Demographics
Risk Factors
Risk factors for alcohol withdrawal include:[14]
- Quantity and frequency of alcohol consumption
- Family history of alcohol withdrawal
- Prior withdrawals
- Sedative, hypnotic, or anxiolytic drugs
Natural History, Complications, and Prognosis
Diagnosis
Diagnostic Criteria
History and Symptoms
The most common symptoms of alcohol withdrawal include:[15]
- Loss of appetite, anorexia
- Craving for alcohol
- Nausea, vomiting
- Agitation
- Anxiety
- Irritability
- Hypervigilance
- Insomnia
- Vivid dreams
- Headache
- Diaphoresis
- Tremor
The most severe symptoms in alcohol withdrawal include [15]
Physical Examination
Signs to consider in the physical examination of patients with alcohol withdrawal may include:[1]
- Anxiety
- Nausea, vomiting
- Tremors
- Autonomic hyperactivity:
- Hallucinations:
- Delusions
- Confusion
- Seizure
- Delirium tremens (DT)
Laboratory Findings
Routine laboratory tests should include:[16]
- Blood or breath alcohol concentration
- Complete blood count (CBC)
- Electrolytes
- Glucose
- Liver function tests
- Renal function tests
- Urinalysis
- Urine toxicology
CT scan
- There are no CT scan findings associated with alcohol withdrawal.
- However, it has been suggested that in linear CT scan measurements in patients that are dependent on alcohol and have a history of delirium tremens, the maximum width of the anterior interhemispheric fissure (MIF) and the maximum width of the Sylvian fissure (MSF) are significantly larger compared to those patients that did not have delirium tremens and controls.[17]
Other Imaging Findings
- There are no MRI findings associated with alcohol withdrawal.
- Studies have suggested a decrease in hippocampal volume on a MRI may represent brain atrophy in patients with chronic alcoholism, however, a decrease in hippocampal volume has been suggested to have no association with seizures during alcohol withdrawal.[18]
Other Diagnostic Studies
Treatment
Medical Therapy
Interventions
Surgery
Primary Prevention
Secondary Prevention
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Wolf C, Curry A, Nacht J, Simpson SA (2020). "Management of Alcohol Withdrawal in the Emergency Department: Current Perspectives". Open Access Emerg Med. 12: 53–65. doi:10.2147/OAEM.S235288. PMC 7093658 Check
|pmc=value (help). PMID 32256131 Check|pmid=value (help). - ↑ Muncie HL, Yasinian Y, Oge' L (2013). "Outpatient management of alcohol withdrawal syndrome". Am Fam Physician. 88 (9): 589–95. PMID 24364635.
- ↑ Meparidze MM, Kodua TE, Lashkhi KS (2010). "[Speech impairment predisposes to cognitive deterioration in hepatic encephalopathy]". Georgian Med News (181): 43–9. PMID 20495225.
- ↑ Kattimani S, Bharadwaj B (2013). "Clinical management of alcohol withdrawal: A systematic review". Ind Psychiatry J. 22 (2): 100–8. doi:10.4103/0972-6748.132914. PMC 4085800. PMID 25013309.
- ↑ Roldán J, Frauca C, Dueñas A (2003). "[Alcohol intoxication]". An Sist Sanit Navar. 26 Suppl 1: 129–39. PMID 12813481.
- ↑ Seifter JL, Samuels MA (2011). "Uremic encephalopathy and other brain disorders associated with renal failure". Semin Neurol. 31 (2): 139–43. doi:10.1055/s-0031-1277984. PMID 21590619.
- ↑ Handler CE, Perkin GD (1983). "Wernicke's encephalopathy". J R Soc Med. 76 (5): 339–42. PMC 1439130. PMID 6864698.
- ↑ Kim Y, Kim JW (2012). "Toxic encephalopathy". Saf Health Work. 3 (4): 243–56. doi:10.5491/SHAW.2012.3.4.243. PMC 3521923. PMID 23251840.
- ↑ Hartmann A, Buttinger C, Rommel T, Czernicki Z, Trtinjiak F (1989). "Alteration of intracranial pressure, cerebral blood flow, autoregulation and carbondioxide-reactivity by hypotensive agents in baboons with intracranial hypertension". Neurochirurgia (Stuttg). 32 (2): 37–43. doi:10.1055/s-2008-1053998. PMID 2497395.
- ↑ Kumar N (2011). "Acute and subacute encephalopathies: deficiency states (nutritional)". Semin Neurol. 31 (2): 169–83. doi:10.1055/s-0031-1277986. PMID 21590622.
- ↑ Chiu GS, Chatterjee D, Darmody PT, Walsh JP, Meling DD, Johnson RW; et al. (2012). "Hypoxia/reoxygenation impairs memory formation via adenosine-dependent activation of caspase 1". J Neurosci. 32 (40): 13945–55. doi:10.1523/JNEUROSCI.0704-12.2012. PMC 3476834. PMID 23035103.
- ↑ Peate I (2004). "An overview of meningitis: signs, symptoms, treatment and support". Br J Nurs. 13 (13): 796–801. doi:10.12968/bjon.2004.13.13.13501. PMID 15284663.
- ↑ Abdelhafiz AH, Rodríguez-Mañas L, Morley JE, Sinclair AJ (2015). "Hypoglycemia in older people - a less well recognized risk factor for frailty". Aging Dis. 6 (2): 156–67. doi:10.14336/AD.2014.0330. PMC 4365959. PMID 25821643.
- ↑ 14.0 14.1 Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders : DSM-5. Washington, D.C: American Psychiatric Association. 2013. ISBN 0890425558.
- ↑ 15.0 15.1 Saitz R (1998). "Introduction to alcohol withdrawal". Alcohol Health Res World. 22 (1): 5–12. PMC 6761824 Check
|pmc=value (help). PMID 15706727. - ↑ Mirijello A, D'Angelo C, Ferrulli A, Vassallo G, Antonelli M, Caputo F; et al. (2015). "Identification and management of alcohol withdrawal syndrome". Drugs. 75 (4): 353–65. doi:10.1007/s40265-015-0358-1. PMC 4978420. PMID 25666543.
- ↑ Maes M, Vandoolaeghe E, Degroote J, Altamura C, Roels C, Hermans P (2000). "Linear CT-scan measurements in alcohol-dependent patients with and without delirium tremens". Alcohol. 20 (2): 117–23. doi:10.1016/s0741-8329(99)00066-x. PMID 10719790.
- ↑ Bleich S, Sperling W, Degner D, Graesel E, Bleich K, Wilhelm J; et al. (2003). "Lack of association between hippocampal volume reduction and first-onset alcohol withdrawal seizure. A volumetric MRI study". Alcohol Alcohol. 38 (1): 40–4. doi:10.1093/alcalc/agg017. PMID 12554606.