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- Title
Alcohol Withdrawal Syndrome.
- Authors
Scullard, Tom
- Abstract
Alcoholism is one of the m ost prevalent addictive diseases in the United States. Any individual adm itted to the hospital may be at risk for developing alcohol withdrawal syndrome. There are many physiologic changes that occur in the brain with chronic alcohol abuse. This presentation examines the changes that occur to the prim ary inhibitory neurotransm itters, gam m a-am inobutyric acid and the prim ary excitatory neurotransmitter glutamate. Upregulation and downregulation of these neuro-transm itters and their role in developing a tolerance are explained. These changes and cessation of alcohol are what leads to alcohol withdrawal syndrome. Alcohol withdrawal syndrome has a 2-10% m ortality rate. Alcohol affects almost every body system. Alcohol withdrawal syndrome can be divided into four phases: autonomic hyperactivity, hallucinations, seizures, and delirium tremens. The treatm ent goals according to the A m erican Society of Addiction M edicine include a safe and humane withdrawal that prepares the individual for ongoing treatment of his or her dependence of alcohol. The Clinical Institute Withdrawal Assessment of Alcohol scale is one of the tools that is used to help assess the severity of withdrawal. Multiple medications have been used. Medication can be given on a fixed schedule regimen or as a sym ptom -triggered regimen. Assessing for alcohol abuse and dependency on admission can help the bedside nurse identify those patients at risk for alcohol withdrawal syndrome. The CAGE Screening Tool is one of may tools that can be used. Case studies will be used to help the bedside nurse apply the information from this session into practice.
- Subjects
ALCOHOL withdrawal syndrome
- Publication
Canadian Journal of Critical Care Nursing, 2016, Vol 27, Issue 2, p31
- ISSN
2368-8653
- Publication type
Article