Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Experiment Videos

Protracted alcohol withdrawal delirium

F T Miller1

  • 1Department of Clinical Psychiatry, Cornell University Medical College-The New York Hospital.

Journal of Substance Abuse Treatment
|March 1, 1994
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Related Concept Videos

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Comparison of TCAs and SSRIs in the treatment of major depression in hospitalized geriatric patients.

Journal of geriatric psychiatry and neurology·1995
Same author

Substance abuse in borderline personality disorder.

The American journal of drug and alcohol abuse·1993
Same author

Psychotic symptoms in patients with borderline personality disorder and concurrent axis I disorder.

Hospital & community psychiatry·1993
Same author

A comparison of two adjunctive treatment strategies in acute mania.

The Journal of clinical psychiatry·1989
Same author

Drug abuse in schizophrenia.

Hospital & community psychiatry·1989
Same author

Drug abuse in schizophrenia and bipolar disorder.

The American journal of drug and alcohol abuse·1989

Protracted alcohol withdrawal delirium is rare but can cause severe complications. This case highlights serious issues like brain hemorrhages and Wernicke

Area of Science:

  • Neurology
  • Addiction Medicine
  • Critical Care Medicine

Background:

  • Protracted alcohol withdrawal delirium is an uncommon but serious condition.
  • Significant morbidity is associated with prolonged alcohol withdrawal symptoms.

Observation:

  • A case of protracted alcohol withdrawal delirium is presented.
  • The patient experienced intracerebral and subdural hemorrhages.
  • Sedative-hypnotic drug synergism led to respiratory compromise.
  • Benzodiazepines were ineffective in preventing or shortening the delirium.
  • Wernicke's encephalopathy developed during the course.

Findings:

  • This case underscores the potential for severe neurological and systemic complications in protracted alcohol withdrawal.

Related Experiment Videos

  • The ineffectiveness of benzodiazepines and the occurrence of synergistic toxicity highlight treatment challenges.
  • Co-existing conditions like hemorrhages and Wernicke's encephalopathy significantly increase patient risk.
  • Implications:

    • Clinicians should maintain a high index of suspicion for protracted alcohol withdrawal delirium, even with standard treatments.
    • Careful medication management is crucial to avoid drug synergism and respiratory compromise.
    • Early recognition and management of complications like hemorrhages and Wernicke's encephalopathy are vital for patient outcomes.
    • Further research into optimal management strategies for severe alcohol withdrawal is warranted.