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 DEFINITION
The delirium tremens is a picture that happens in chronic alcoholic subjects at the moment of sudden alcohol suppression. It is characterized for presenting components neuropsiquiátricos like the quake, hallucinations, confusion, agitation, verbiage and signs of autonomic hyperactivity, such as tachycardia.
The delirium tremens is a serious, potentially lethal syndrome, which happens in approximately 5 % of the patients that being alcoholics they incur sudden alcohol abstinence. It takes a morbidity near to 10 % as a dehydration because of the vomiting. His appearance is located, generally, 72 hours before having taken the last alcohol glass. Nevertheless, the delirium tremens can develop without there having been a change in the drink boss. This way, in the first aid services there can be patients who, still drinking, present the symptoms and proper signs of the syndrome.
CAUSES OF THE DELIRIUM TREMENS
The presence of the delirium tremens associated with an intense daily ingestion of alcohol defines the addiction to this one. To drink in excess every day during a long time produces inevitably addiction to the alcohol and the subsequent withdrawal symptoms. Also it can be produced by poisonous substances as the cocaine, some mushrooms (amanita muscaria), some medicines (codeine) in high doses, the glue... This phenomenon happens also in high feverish pictures, of 41-42nd.
TREATMENT OF THE DELIRIUM TREMENS
The treatment must begin as soon as possible. The stated medicine is the diazepam. 10 advises himself to administer mg IV in 3 to 5 minutes. If spent 20 minutes the patient has not calmed down 5 can apply mg IV to themselves.
The treatment suppresses the symptoms, but it has not demonstrated to have effect on the duration of the delirium tremens.
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