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Query: UMLS:C0036572 (seizures)
 80,221 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

The study was designed to determine the prevalence of alcoholism/problem drinking among emergency medical admissions. Of 203 emergency admissions to two medical wards, 18% were found to be problem drinkers, using the brief Michigan alcoholic screening test (MAST) questionnaire. Problem drinking was found in 31% of males and 5% of females. Most drinking was done with friends (77%) and at the "rum shop" (62%). Fifty-one per cent of problem drinkers started between the ages of sixteen and twenty years. Seventy per cent of all problem drinkers had a first degree family relative who drank compared to 28% of non-drinkers. A high prevalence of alcoholism (48%) was found among smokers. Housestaff detected just over half of male (56%) and female (60%) alcoholics who were MAST-positive. Medical diagnoses among MAST-positive patients were gastrointestinal (cirrhosis, pancreatitis and hepatitis) in 32%, neurological (delirium tremens, seizures and subdural hematoma) in 27% and cardiovascular (cardiomyopathy, heart failure and dysrhythmias) in 16%. The detected level of problem drinking is likely to cause significant morbidity, and allows an important opportunity for intervention. The use of questionnaire methods to screen for alcoholism needs further evaluation in the region.
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PMID:Questionnaire detection of problem drinkers among acute medical admissions. 189 23

The authors retrospectively reviewed the charts of 31 alcoholic patients admitted with fever without a defined source. In our population 58% of patients were subsequently found to have an infectious cause for their fever. Pneumonia was the most common infection, but occult urinary tract infections were seen surprisingly often. Noninfectious but serious disorders, such as delirium tremens, prolonged postictal state, and subarachnoid hemorrhage, were also common. Infectious and noninfectious causes commonly coexisted. The most common noninfectious cause was alcohol withdrawal, with or without seizures. The authors believe that indigent, malnourished, chronic alcoholics with fever for which a source cannot be readily identified, should usually be admitted to the hospital for observation and to await culture results.
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PMID:The febrile alcoholic in the emergency department. 198 54

In a prospective, double-blind comparison, we assessed the efficacy of transdermal clonidine with that of chlordiazepoxide in the treatment of moderately severe acute alcohol withdrawal syndrome. While having significant withdrawal symptoms, 50 hospitalized men were randomly assigned to receive either transdermal clonidine or chlordiazepoxide over a 4-day study period. Outcome was evaluated daily, medically and psychiatrically, using both objective and subjective measurements for dependent variables. No patient in either study group had seizures or progression to delirium tremens. The group receiving transdermal clonidine had a more significant response globally for the signs and symptoms of alcohol withdrawal, as measured by the Alcohol Withdrawal Assessment Scale. Also, clonidine more effectively lowered elevated systolic and diastolic blood pressure and heart rate. The core target symptom, anxiety, decreased significantly more in the patients receiving transdermal clonidine when measured by the Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale and its subscale for somatic anxiety. Cognitive function responded equally in both study populations. Clonidine-treated patients reported less diarrhea, dizziness, headache and fatigue, and the chlordiazepoxide-treated patients reported less nausea and vomiting. We conclude that transdermal clonidine is effective treatment for the acute alcohol withdrawal syndrome.
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PMID:Transdermal clonidine versus chlordiazepoxide in alcohol withdrawal: a randomized, controlled clinical trial. 200 May 17

Two kinds of epileptic events are frequently related to alcohol consumption: 1) seizures triggered by alcohol withdrawal. Often multiple, they occur within between 10 and 48 hours after discontinuing or reducing alcohol intakes and can be followed by a delirium tremens. 2) recurring unprovoked seizures. They are usually rare, 1 or 2 yearly. The risk is increased for heavy drinkers but returns to normal for ex-drinkers. Seizures related to alcoholism are usually generalized tonico clonic seizures with normal EEG and CT-scan. When partial seizures are identified they are attributed to preceding brain damage, head trauma or stroke.
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PMID:[Alcohol and epilepsy]. 240 82

To evaluate the value of the nonsedative anticonvulsants carbamazepine and valproic acid a controlled study including drug monitoring was carried out. Intoxicated alcoholics (n = 138) were admitted for inpatient detoxication and randomly assigned to either carbamazepine (n = 43), sodium valproate (n = 46) or placebo (n = 49) in a double-blind fashion. Drug treatment lasted for four days and the daily doses of both drugs amounted to 1200 mg in the beginning of the study. Sodium valproate induced gastric distress, nausea and vomiting more frequently than placebo. About half of the subjects had to stop carbamazepine because of intolerable side-effects including vertigo, nausea, vomiting, diplopia and rash. Serum carbamazepine levels (18-89 mumol/l) were found to be high (greater than 40 mumol/l) in many but not all of these subjects. Seizures occurred in 3 subjects on placebo, 2 on carbamazepine and 1 on sodium valproate. Delirium tremens developed in 2 on sodium valproate and 1 on placebo. The study demonstrates that drug side-effects may seriously hamper the utility of carbamazepine and sodium valproate as routine treatment for the prevention of alcohol withdrawal symptoms.
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PMID:Prevention of alcohol withdrawal seizures with carbamazepine and valproic acid. 250 Jan 38

80 patients (P) (68 men and twelve women) with the diagnosis of delirium tremens were retrospectively analyzed and reexamined over a period of ten years (1974 to 1984). Included were only patients who--after failure of oral medication--required intravenous therapy with Chlomethiazol and thereby intensive care treatment. Mean age was 46.2 (26 to 75) years. During the observation period delirium tremens increased in frequency by 11% each year. Nine patients had two, six patients three and two patients four episodes of delirium tremens. In 86.7% delirium tremens occurred with fatty liver and alcoholic hepatitis, epileptic seizures, cirrhosis and hepatic coma, gastrointestinal hemorrhage and pancreatitis. Eight patients (10%) died in hospital at a mean age of 53.2 years. None of the deceased had less than three (on average four) complicating or associated diseases. These were mostly pneumonia, cirrhosis, hepatic coma, and gastrointestinal hemorrhage. The mean duration of intravenous Chlomethiazol therapy was 4.7 (0.25 to 20) days, the applied dose 26.2 (0.8 to 78.6) grams, there being no significant difference between survivors and non-survivors. Of the 72 survivors 62 were invited for follow-up examination after an average of five years. During this period another twelve patients (15%) died of pneumonia, gastrointestinal bleeding, cardiocirculatory failure and accidents. Life expectancy was only 9.3 years. Of 29 patients who came for follow-up, 55% showed clinical evidence of alcohol dependency, 65% had elevated gamma-glutamyl-transferase.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
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PMID:[Severe course of delirium tremens. Results of treatment and late prognosis]. 262 19

Abrupt cessation of regular use of alcohol in a dependent person causes a withdrawal syndrome that may range from mild to extremely severe. Most patients require pharmacologic intervention, especially those with severe symptoms. Historically, the pharmacotherapy of alcohol withdrawal has involved a wide variety of agents. Benzodiazepines are currently preferred due to their consistently high degree of efficacy and laudable record of safety. In addition, beta blockers and clonidine are useful, as both effectively combat the hypertension and tachycardia commonly associated with withdrawal. They are ineffective as anticonvulsants; however. Opinions differ concerning the best treatment for withdrawal seizures. Prophylaxis with benzodiazepines may be all that is required, although some authors advocate the use of phenytoin for 5 days, especially in persons with a history of prior seizures during alcohol withdrawal. Once established, delirium tremens are difficult to treat. Benzodiazepines are most commonly used to provide sedation, and extremely large doses may be required. Careful clinical assessment is essential to the proper treatment of patients undergoing alcohol withdrawal since the coexistence of medical problems may complicate the condition.
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PMID:The treatment of alcohol withdrawal. 266 58

Patients with alcohol dependence commonly experience symptoms of anxiety, depression, and insomnia. It is essential that clinicians recognize and treat anxiety disorders in alcoholic patients. Panic attacks with and without agoraphobia are especially prevalent among alcoholics and their families. Treatments of choice for panic disorder are the monoamine oxidase inhibitors, as well as tricyclic antidepressants and the benzodiazepine alprazolam. Benzodiazepines seem to be effective in controlling two pathophysiologic characteristics of alcohol withdrawal--noradrenergic and hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenocortical overactivity. They also can be used to prevent and treat withdrawal seizures and delirium tremens. They are not indicated for the treatment of alcohol dependence per se.
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PMID:Anxiety and alcoholism. 268 Nov 71

The nervous system is particularly susceptible to the harmful effects of alcohol. These include Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome, which is related to thiamine deficiency secondary to chronic alcohol abuse. Other neurotoxic effects of alcohol with cognitive impairments include delirium tremens, alcoholic seizures or "rum fits," and alcoholic neuropathies. It has become recognized in recent years that alcohol and its metabolites directly damage the nervous system even in the absence of nutritional deficiencies. Cerebral blood flow (CBF) measurements provide a noninvasive indirect monitor of cerebral metabolic activity. It has been shown conclusively that CBF measured by the 133Xe inhalation method is decreased in chronic alcoholism, correlating well with the amount of alcohol consumed. With abstinence, CBF returns toward normal levels provided the neurotoxic effects of chronic alcoholism are of recent onset. Clinical and pathological studies show significant loss of brain volume with ventricular dilatation after alcohol abuse even among young "social" drinkers. This toxic effect of alcohol is accompanied by varying degrees of cognitive impairments ranging from slight memory loss to frank dementia. Both the decrease in brain volume and the cognitive impairments, which occur with or without nutritional deficiency, are to a large extent reversible with abstinence and nutritional supplementation. Alcohol appears to accelerate age-related declines in CBF while nutritional deficiencies enhance the neurotoxic effects of alcohol. Measurements of local CBF (LCBF) and partition coefficients (L lambda) in deep cerebral structures, including the hypothalamus, thalamus, forebrain nuclei, and limbic system, can be achieved utilizing three-dimensional methods after inhalation of stable xenon as a contrast medium combined with serial computed tomographic imaging of the brain. Among chronic alcoholics, there are significant and diffuse reductions in cortical and subcortical gray matter CBF that are especially remarkable in hypothalamus and substantia innominata, which includes the nucleus basalis of Meynert, a major source of cholinergic input to neocortex and hippocampus. Reductions in LCBF are measurable in cognitively impaired patients with and without Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome. Reductions of CBF include white matter and are more severe in patients with Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome. Both types of encephalopathy improve with treatment, but recovery is usually more rapid and complete if nutritional deficiency is absent. Alcohol also appears to be a risk factor for stroke, possibly by depleting neuronal reserves and unfavorably influencing cardiovascular risks.
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PMID:Cerebral hemodynamic and metabolic effects of chronic alcoholism. 270 68

A retrospective study of patients who probably had delirium tremens during hospitalization for alcohol dependency is reported. Predictors of delirium tremens were daily heavy alcohol use, a past history of delirium tremens, and a past history of alcohol withdrawal seizures. Management included general measures and specific therapy for complications. Mortality was only 4.9%, which reflects the improved management techniques now available. The use of multiple interventions proved most effective.
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PMID:Delirium tremens. Update on an old disorder. 289 Jan 44


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