Prevalence and Outcomes of Delirium Tremens in Consultation-Liaison Psychiatry

Alcohol Withdrawal is a cluster of symptoms, behaviors and/or physiological features, varying in degree of severity and duration, that occurs upon cessation of use of alcohol. Delirium Tremens, is a disturbance of attention and awareness developing in a short period of time with fluctuations in consciousness, associated with cognitive disturbances. Complicated Alcohol Withdrawal, i.e., presence of delirium or convulsions or both, is a severe manifestation of alcohol withdrawal. Symptoms begin within 6-8 hours after last consumption of alcohol, peak after 72 hours and resolve in 5-7 days of cessation. Mainstay of treatment of Alcohol withdrawal is administration of benzodiazepines. In Delirium tremens, intramuscular antipsychotic medications can be administered. This study aims to assess the prevalence of Delirium tremens and the outcomes of management and highlights the importance of early management of Delirium tremens.