Managing alcohol withdrawal

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    Supportive care and drugs are used to treat alcohol withdrawal.

    Assistive care (go to Addiction Treatment Therapies )

    The following are examples of supportive care:

    •  Drinking plenty of water to stay hydrated
    • keeping a healthy electrolyte balance
    • ingesting nutrients that are deficient, such as:
    • folate
    • thiamine
    • dextrose
    • Medications

    Three drugs to treat alcoholism have been approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

     They're not addictive, and they won't take the place of alcohol. Rather, they're made in the same manner that any other drug for a long-term medical issue is.

     

     Here's a quick rundown of what's going on:

    1. Acamprosate aids in the reduction or prevention of symptoms associated with the cessation of alcohol consumption.
    2. When you drink alcohol while taking disulfiram, you will have unpleasant side effects such as nausea.
    3. By inhibiting particular receptors in the brain, naltrexone aids in the reduction of alcohol cravings.
    4. Benzodiazepines have been the major treatment for alcohol withdrawal for many years. The medications in question are sedatives. They help with withdrawal symptoms as well as seizures and delirium tremens prevention. Here are several examples:

     

    Diazepam is a sedative (Valium)

    • Lorazepam is a benzodiazepine that is used to treat (Ativan)
    • chlordiazepoxide is a kind of diazoxide that is used to (Librium)
    • Although benzodiazepines are the most common drug used to treat alcohol withdrawal, your doctor may also prescribe other medications. Clonidine (Catapres) and haloperidol are examples of such medications (Haldol).

     

    The value of a secure withdrawal

    The symptoms of alcohol withdrawal can be highly significant and even life-threatening depending on your level of alcohol dependency. As a result, it's critical to carefully manage your withdrawal.

     

    The safest way to withdraw from alcohol is to do it under supervision. Mild to moderate alcohol withdrawal can be managed in an outpatient setting, with daily check-ins frequently required. Individuals with more severe symptoms should be treated in a hospital, where their condition can be thoroughly monitored.

     

    If you or someone you know is abusing alcohol, seek medical advice before quitting. They can examine your situation and recommend whether you should finish your withdrawal in an inpatient or outpatient setting.

     

    Your doctor can also talk to you about the symptoms you're having and the drugs they can prescribe to help you feel better. Your doctor can also provide information and strategies to help you stay alcohol-free once you've gone through withdrawal.

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