Delirium Tremens: A Review of Clinical Studies

• Published in: Curēus (Palo Alto, CA) Vol. 16; no. 4; p. e57601
• Main Authors: Kaye, Alan D, Staser, Amanda N, Mccollins, Tiombee S, Zheng, Jackson, Berry, Fouad A, Burroughs, Caroline R, Heisler, Michael, Mouhaffel, Aya, Ahmadzadeh, Shahab, Kaye, Adam M, Shekoohi, Sahar, Varrassi, Giustino
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Cureus Inc 04.04.2024; Cureus
• Subjects: Alcohol use; Alcohol withdrawal; Anxiety; Brain research; Delirium; Hallucinations; Internal Medicine; Nausea; Neurosciences; Pathophysiology; Vomiting; dt; alcohol withdrawal syndrome; dts; delirium tremens; alcohol withdrawal delirium
• ISSN: 2168-8184; 2168-8184
• DOI: 10.7759/cureus.57601

Delirium tremens (DT) is a severe condition resulting from alcohol withdrawal. This review highlights the challenges in diagnosing and managing DT and emphasizes the importance of early recognition and intervention to prevent complications and ensure optimal patient outcomes. The discussion of the pathophysiology of DT, focusing on the neurochemical imbalances involving the neurotransmitters gamma-aminobutyric acid and glutamate, explains how chronic alcohol dependence leads to these imbalances and contributes to the hyperexcitability seen in DT. The management of DT involves ensuring patient safety and alleviating symptoms, primarily through pharmacological approaches, such as benzodiazepines. Closely monitoring vital signs and electrolyte imbalances is necessary due to autonomic dysregulation associated with DT. The mention of the potential complexity of DT when coexisting with other conditions emphasizes the need for additional research to advance comprehension, identify predictive factors, and enhance its management.