Alcohol withdrawal: Syndrome and treatment.

Abstract

Alcohol dependence is a common health problem in Thailand. Alcohol dependent patient can stop drinking with a variety of causes such as intention, acute illness and/or accident. Sudden cessation of drink after use for a long-time causes alcohol withdrawal syndrome.

Alcohol withdrawal syndrome may be classified by its severity into two groups: uncomplicated and complicated groups. The less severe uncomplicated group may need no treatment. The complicated group consists of three kinds, namely: 1. alcohol withdrawal seizure; 2. alcohol induced psychotic disorder; and, 3. alcohol withdrawal delirium. Since the chronic alcohol users usually have concurrent medical illness especially chronic liver disease, the patients may also have medical illnesses during alcohol withdrawal condition. Closely evaluations, plans of treatment, patient symptoms monitoring are essential.

This document is a review of the causes of alcohol tolerance and withdrawal. It explains the course of alcohol withdrawal syndrome, how to diagnose it, its differential diagnosis and laboratory investigations. Regarding the treatment, this paper is a review of guidelines of treatment of alcoholic detoxification and the indications forhospitalization, assessment of the severity of alcohol withdrawal staging of the syndrome with pharmacological treatments as well as risk monitoring.