The Alcohol Withdrawal Syndrome

The alcohol withdrawal syndrome, with its wide range of clinical presentations, is readily identifiable yet often overlooked in the general hospital population. In some hospitalized patients, mild to moderate symptoms of alcohol withdrawal may not be recognized by a physician. However, physician awareness of the ominous implications of delirium tremens, the most severe form of the syndrome, is appropriately high.An established diagnosis of alcohol withdrawal syndrome has important clinical implications. Its presence serves as a cornerstone for the diagnosis of alcoholism and usually reflects the severity of the disease.1 Moreover, the clinical features of alcohol withdrawal demonstrate a major . . .