Synthetic cannabinoids (SCs) are included in a group of drugs called new psychoactive substances. Effects of SCs on the central nervous system are similar to other cannabinoids, but 2-100 times more potent than marijuana. Thus, addiction and withdrawal symptoms are more severe than natural cannabinoids. Withdrawal symptoms of SCs were reported in the literature previously. But there is no repor...

Background: For treatment of severe alcohol withdrawal syndrome, high dose benzodiazepines (BZDs) may cause delirium and over-sedation. Phenobarbital (PBT) is a long-acting barbiturate effective for the treatment of alcohol withdrawal. Given the potential benefits of PBT, we sought to investigate the effectiveness of PBT as adjunctive treatment for alcohol withdrawal. Methods: This was a retros...

Alcohol withdrawal is a common clinical condition that has a variety of complications and morbidities. The manifestations can range from mild agitation to withdrawal seizures and delirium tremens. The treatments for alcohol withdrawal include benzodiazepines, anticonvulsants, beta-blockers and antihypertensives. Although benzodiazepines are presently a first-line therapy, there is controversy r...

their lifetimes. Mild to moderate consumption (up to one drink/day for women and two drinks/day for men) has been shown to have beneficial cardiovascular effects, including a decreased risk of myocardial infarction and stroke, as well as overall decreased mortality (Box 154.1). Despite these possibly beneficial effects of alcohol, it has been found to be a top 10 cause of preventable deaths amo...

Disease processes or events that accompany acute alcohol withdrawal (AW) can cause significant illness and death. Some patients experience seizures, which may increase in severity with subsequent AW episodes. Another potential AW complication is delirium tremens, characterized by hallucinations, mental confusion, and disorientation. Cognitive impairment and delirium may lead to a chronic memory...

Delirium tremens is the severe form of alcohol withdrawal. It carries a certain degree of mortality and there has been and advancement in the understanding of pathophysiology and risk factors for the development of the condition. This prospective study is carried out to study the characteristic of the patient of delirium tremens in our setting using ICD-10 diagnostic criteria. Thirty seven case...

AIM To examine the clinical course of gamma-hydroxybutyrate (GHB) withdrawal and generate management guidelines. DESIGN Review and analysis of all published reports of GHB or GHB precursor withdrawal identified from electronic searches. FINDINGS In total, 38 cases of GHB (n = 28) or GHB precursor (n = 10) withdrawal were identified, 36 of which were from the US. A rapidly deteriorating cour...