What is Delirium Tremens?
Delirium tremens is a hallucinatory and delusional state often induced by cessation of heavy daily drinking or during recovery from alcoholism. It can also occur when people rapidly withdraw from regular use of benzodiazepines like Xanax® or Valium®. Sudden withdrawal from barbiturates like Phenobarbital can also produce delirium tremens. Recovering alcoholics often refer to that rough period of alcohol withdrawal as the DTs. Delirium tremens usually occurs within a day after one’s last drink or dose of medication, but may happen several days after cessation of drinking. The condition, if left untreated, can be fatal in approximately 30% of those ceasing heavy long-term drinking. Delirium tremens immediately affects the brain, causing it to secrete in high quantities several hormones like GABA and serotonin to attempt to find balance in the non-drinking state. These hormones may also decrease rapidly. The neurological effects cause confusion, great anxiety, and sometimes visual and aud
• Delirium tremens: Delirium from alcohol withdrawal. • Delirium tremens: An acute organic mental disorder induced by cessation or reduction in chronic alcohol consumption. Clinical characteristics include CONFUSION; DELUSIONS; vivid HALLUCINATIONS; TREMOR; agitation; insomnia; and signs of autonomic hyperactivity (e.g., elevated blood pressure and heart rate, dilated pupils, and diaphoresis). This condition may occasionally be fatal. It was formerly called delirium tremens. (From Adams et al., Principles of Neurology, 6th ed, p1175) Source – Diseases Database • Delirium tremens: acute delirium caused by alcohol poisoning. Source – WordNet 2.
