Alcohol withdrawal syndrome is intermediated by a mixed bag of mechanisms. The mind maintains neurochemical symmetry through repressive and excitant neurotransmitters. The principal inhibitory neurotransmitter is gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), that works through the GABA-alpha (GABA-A) neuroreceptor. One of the major excitant neurotransmitters is glutamate, which behaves through the N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) neuroreceptor.

Alcohol raises the outcome of GABA on GABA-A neuroreceptors, resulting in diminished total brain excitability. Habitual exposure to alcohol results in a compensative decrease of GABA-A neuroreceptor response to GABA, proved by increasing tolerance of the outcomes of alcohol.

Alcohol subdues NMDA neuroreceptors, and Habitual alcohol exposure results in up regulating of these receptors. Sharp cessation of alcohol exposure results in head hyperexcitability, because receptors previously subdued by alcohol are no longer suppressed. brain hyperexcitability demonstrates clinically as anxiousness, surliness, agitation, and tremors. Terrible materializations include alcohol withdrawal seizures and delirium tremens.

An crucial conception in both alcohol craving and alcohol withdrawal is the kindling phenomenon; the term refers to long-term changes that happen in neurons following duplicated detoxifications. Recurrent detoxifications are postulated to step-up obsessional thoughts or alcohol craving. Kindling explicates the observance that subsequent installments of alcohol withdrawal tend to progressively worsen.

Although the implication of kindling in alcohol withdrawal is deliberated, this phenomenon may be significant in the selection of medicines to address withdrawal. If certain medications reduction the kindling result, they might become preferable agents

Differential Diagnosis

Alcohol withdrawal syndrome can be confused with other conditions. Thyrotoxicosis, anticholinergic drug poisoning, and amphetamine or cocaine use can result in signs of increased sympathetic activity and altered mental status. Central nervous system infection or hemorrhage can cause seizures and mental status changes. Withdrawal from other sedative-hypnotic agents causes symptoms similar to those occurring in alcohol withdrawal syndrome.

Goals of Treatment

The American Society of Addiction Medicine lists three immediate goals for detoxification of alcohol and other substances: (1) "to provide a safe withdrawal from the drug(s) of dependence and enable the patient to become drug-free"; (2) "to provide a withdrawal that is humane and thus protects the patient's dignity"; and (3) "to prepare the patient for ongoing treatment of his or her dependence on alcohol or other drugs."6

General Care

Abnormalities in fluid levels, electrolyte levels, or nutrition should be corrected. Intravenous fluids may be necessary in patients with severe withdrawal because of excessive fluid loss through hyperthermia, sweating, and vomiting. Intravenous fluids should not be administered routinely in patients with less severe withdrawal, because these patients may become overhydrated.

Routine administration of magnesium sulfate has not been shown to improve withdrawal symptoms,9 but supplementation is appropriate if a patient is hypomagnesemic. Multivitamins and thiamine (100 mg per day) should be provided during treatment for alcohol withdrawal. If intravenous fluids are administered, thiamine (100 mg intravenously) should be given before glucose is administered, to prevent precipitation of Wernicke's encephalopathy.

Medication Regimens

Medication can be administered using fixed-schedule or symptom-triggered regimens (Table 3).10 With a fixed-schedule regimen, doses of a benzodiazepine are administered at specific intervals, and additional doses of the medication are given as needed based on the severity of the withdrawal symptoms. In a symptom-triggered regimen, medication is given only when the CIWA-Ar score is higher than 8 points.

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