Snapshot A 38-year-old man is brought to the emergency department after being in a motor vehicle accident. The patient fractured his femur and required surgery. On postoperative day 2, the patient reports trouble falling asleep, palpitations, and feeling anxious. Medical history is significant for hypertension and alcohol use disorder. His blood pressure is 165/98 mmHg, pulse is 105/min, and respirations are 20/min. Physical exam is significant for tremulousness and diaphoresis. He is started on lorazepam. Introduction Definition progression of signs and symptoms that occur after withdrawal from heavy and prolonged use of alcohol Epidemiology incidence typically seen in hospitalized patients who have alcohol dependence Pathogenesis prolonged use of alcohol downregulates GABA receptors and upregulates glutamate receptors in order to maintain arousal when alcohol is abruptly withdrawn, there is overexcitation of glutamate receptors Associated conditions Wernicke encephalopathy triad ophthalmoplegia encephalopathy ataxia thiamine and magnesium depletion results in necrosis of the mammillary bodies, thalamus, and hippocampus Korsakoff syndrome memory impairment and confabulations precipitated if giving dextrose prior to giving thiamine Prognosis alcohol withdrawal seizures and delirium tremens are life-threatening Presentation Symptoms/physical exam minor withdrawal anxiety agitation restlessness diaphoresis palpitations insomnia moderate-to-severe withdrawal hallucinations seizures delirium tremens Studies Labs thiamine and magnesium deficiency AST > ALT (2:1) serum γ-glutamyltransferase (GGT) a sensitive indicator of alcohol use Withdrawal Alcohol Withdrawal Time (Hours) Syndrome Clinical Findings 6-36 Minor withdrawal Anxiety Tremulousness Diaphoresis Palpitations 6-48 Seizures Tonic-clonic seizures short post-ictal period 12-48 Alcoholic hallucinosis Visual, auditory, and/or tactile hallucinations intact orientation normal vital signs 48-96 Delirium tremens Delirium Agitation Tachycardia Hypertension Fever Diaphoresis Treatment Medical thiamine indication to prevent Wernicke encephalopathy benzodiazepines indications the treatment of choice for alcohol withdrawal comments lorazepam and oxazepam are preferred in patients with liver disease Complications Cardiac arrhythmia Delirium tremens Tonic-clonic seizures
QUESTIONS 1 of 3 1 2 3 Previous Next Lab Values Blood Hematologic Cerebrospinal Sweat, Urine, and BMI Blood, Plasma, Serum Reference Range ALT 8-20 U/L Amylase, serum 25-125 U/L AST 8-20 U/L Bilirubin, serum (adult) Total // Direct 0.1-1.0 mg/dL // 0.0-0.3 mg/dL Calcium, serum (Ca2+) 8.4-10.2 mg/dL Cholesterol, serum Rec: < 200 mg/dL Cortisol, serum 0800 h: 5-23 μg/dL //1600 h: 3-15 μg/dL 2000 h: ≤ 50% of 0800 h Creatine kinase, serum Male: 25-90 U/LFemale: 10-70 U/L Creatinine, serum 0.6-1.2 mg/dL Electrolytes, serum Sodium (Na+) 136-145 mEq/L Chloride (Cl-) 95-105 mEq/L Potassium (K+) 3.5-5.0 mEq/L Bicarbonate (HCO3-) 22-28 mEq/L Magnesium (Mg2+) 1.5-2.0 mEq/L Estriol, total, serum (in pregnancy) 24-28 wks // 32-36 wks 30-170 ng/mL // 60-280 ng/mL 28-32 wk // 36-40 wks 40-220 ng/mL // 80-350 ng/mL Ferritin, serum Male: 15-200 ng/mLFemale: 12-150 ng/mL Follicle-stimulating hormone, serum/plasma Male: 4-25 mIU/mL Female: premenopause: 4-30 mIU/mL midcycle peak: 10-90 mIU/mL postmenopause: 40-250 pH 7.35-7.45 PCO2 33-45 mmHg PO2 75-105 mmHg Glucose, serum Fasting: 70-110 mg/dL2-h postprandial:<120 mg/dL Growth hormone - arginine stimulation Fasting: <5 ng/mLProvocative stimuli: > 7ng/mL Immunoglobulins, serum IgA 76-390 mg/dL IgE 0-380 IU/mL IgG 650-1500 mg/dL IgM 40-345 mg/dL Iron 50-170 μg/dL Lactate dehydrogenase, serum 45-90 U/L Luteinizing hormone, serum/plasma Male: 6-23 mIU/mL Female: follicular phase: 5-30 mIU/mL midcycle: 75-150 mIU/mL postmenopause 30-200 mIU/mL Osmolality, serum 275-295 mOsmol/kd H2O Parathyroid hormone, serume, N-terminal 230-630 pg/mL Phosphatase (alkaline), serum (p-NPP at 30° C) 20-70 U/L Phosphorus (inorganic), serum 3.0-4.5 mg/dL Prolactin, serum (hPRL) < 20 ng/mL Proteins, serum Total (recumbent) 6.0-7.8 g/dL Albumin 3.5-5.5 g/dL Globulin 2.3-3.5 g/dL Thyroid-stimulating hormone, serum or plasma .5-5.0 μU/mL Thyroidal iodine (123I) uptake 8%-30% of administered dose/24h Thyroxine (T4), serum 5-12 μg/dL Triglycerides, serum 35-160 mg/dL Triiodothyronine (T3), serum (RIA) 115-190 ng/dL Triiodothyronine (T3) resin uptake 25%-35% Urea nitrogen, serum 7-18 mg/dL Uric acid, serum 3.0-8.2 mg/dL Hematologic Reference Range Bleeding time 2-7 minutes Erythrocyte count Male: 4.3-5.9 million/mm3Female: 3.5-5.5 million mm3 Erythrocyte sedimentation rate (Westergren) Male: 0-15 mm/hFemale: 0-20 mm/h Hematocrit Male: 41%-53%Female: 36%-46% Hemoglobin A1c ≤ 6 % Hemoglobin, blood Male: 13.5-17.5 g/dLFemale: 12.0-16.0 g/dL Hemoglobin, plasma 1-4 mg/dL Leukocyte count and differential Leukocyte count 4,500-11,000/mm3 Segmented neutrophils 54%-62% Bands 3%-5% Eosinophils 1%-3% Basophils 0%-0.75% Lymphocytes 25%-33% Monocytes 3%-7% Mean corpuscular hemoglobin 25.4-34.6 pg/cell Mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration 31%-36% Hb/cell Mean corpuscular volume 80-100 μm3 Partial thromboplastin time (activated) 25-40 seconds Platelet count 150,000-400,000/mm3 Prothrombin time 11-15 seconds Reticulocyte count 0.5%-1.5% of red cells Thrombin time < 2 seconds deviation from control Volume Plasma Male: 25-43 mL/kgFemale: 28-45 mL/kg Red cell Male: 20-36 mL/kgFemale: 19-31 mL/kg Cerebrospinal Fluid Reference Range Cell count 0-5/mm3 Chloride 118-132 mEq/L Gamma globulin 3%-12% total proteins Glucose 40-70 mg/dL Pressure 70-180 mm H2O Proteins, total < 40 mg/dL Sweat Reference Range Chloride 0-35 mmol/L Urine Calcium 100-300 mg/24 h Chloride Varies with intake Creatinine clearance Male: 97-137 mL/minFemale: 88-128 mL/min Estriol, total (in pregnancy) 30 wks 6-18 mg/24 h 35 wks 9-28 mg/24 h 40 wks 13-42 mg/24 h 17-Hydroxycorticosteroids Male: 3.0-10.0 mg/24 hFemale: 2.0-8.0 mg/24 h 17-Ketosteroids, total Male: 8-20 mg/24 hFemale: 6-15 mg/24 h Osmolality 50-1400 mOsmol/kg H2O Oxalate 8-40 μg/mL Potassium Varies with diet Proteins, total < 150 mg/24 h Sodium Varies with diet Uric acid Varies with diet Body Mass Index (BMI) Adult: 19-25 kg/m2 Calculator ( ) xy AC 7 8 9 ÷ 4 5 6 × 1 2 3 - 0 . = + Sorry, this question is for PEAK Premium Subscribers only Upgrade to PEAK (M1.PY.4725) A 59-year-old man presents to the emergency room with shortness of breath and swelling of his feet and legs. He denies any past medical problems, surgeries, medications, or illicit drug use. He reports drinking a few beers each night. He is diagnosed with a first episode of congestive heart failure and is admitted to the hospital. The next day, the nurse notices that his hands are shaky when he extends his arms. The patient says that he couldn’t sleep the night before and that he feels restless, anxious, and slightly nauseated. On the second night of admission the patient becomes agitated. He is disoriented, cannot remember where he is, and appears globally confused. His pulse is 125/min, blood pressure is 170/110 mmHg, and temperature is 101.7°F (38.7°C). He is diaphoretic and his hands are shaking at rest. He cries out in fear reporting voices whispering in his room and strange shadows passing over the walls. What medication should be administered to this patient? Review Topic QID: 108571 1 Flumazenil 6% (14/218) 2 Naloxone 10% (22/218) 3 Benzodiazepines 72% (158/218) 4 Dantrolene 2% (5/218) 5 Fomepizole 6% (13/218) M1 Select Answer to see Preferred Response PREFERRED RESPONSE 3 Sorry, this question is for PEAK Premium Subscribers only Upgrade to PEAK