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Reversible neurological deficits in a chronic alcohol abuser: a case report of Wernicke's encephalopathy
M E Guido1, W Brady, D DeBehnke
1Department of Internal Medicine, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee 53226.
The American Journal of Emergency Medicine
|March 1, 1994
Abstract:
The abuse of alcohol presents daily challenges for the emergency medicine physician. Wernicke's encephalopathy represents one of the metabolic complications associated with alcoholism. A classic presentation of Wernicke's encephalopathy is reported. The patient presented to the emergency department with the chief complaint of confusion, difficulty ambulating, and visual disturbances. Following administration of intravenous thiamine, the patient's symptoms spontaneously resolved. The pathophysiology, clinical presentation and therapy of this classic disorder are discussed.