Alcohol detox can be dangerous and even deadly. Individuals who drink regularly may experience withdrawal symptoms after a period of abstinence. These symptoms vary in severity depending on how long a person has been a drinker, his frequency of alcohol consumption and the quantity of alcohol consumed. Serious consequences of alcohol detox include mental instability, seizures, heart attack, stroke and delirium tremens.
Mental Instability
Alcohol detox can cause some degree of mental instability. Alcohol is a depressant, meaning it calms the body and slows the nervous system. When a person drinks regularly over a long period of time, his body adapts to the depressant effect. If that person suddenly stops drinking, his body overcompensates and he experiences anxiety, agitation, tremors, jumpiness and hallucinations. Mental instability is dangerous because it causes a person to react inappropriately to real or imagined events, leading to injury to himself or others. The University of Maryland Medical Center states that people in this condition must be evaluated by a physician. Less severe cases can sometimes be treated at home under the supervision of a friend or family member, plus a short course of anti-anxiety medication.
Seizures
Seizures are caused by uncontrolled bursts of activity in the central nervous system. When a heavy drinker suddenly stops drinking, his nervous system rebounds into a hyper-excited state, which can cause seizures. According to a 1993 article in the "Journal of Emergency Medicine," alcohol withdrawal seizures generally occur six to 48 hours after cessation of drinking. Seizures are dangerous because an individual can physically injure himself during a generalized seizure. A person can also be seriously injured if the seizure occurs during an activity, like walking or driving, where sudden collapse and loss of control can be dangerous. Benzodiazepines are often used to prevent seizures.
Delirium Tremens
Delirium tremens is the most dangerous condition associated with alcohol detox. It typically occurs three to five days after cessation of heavy, regular drinking. In addition to profound confusion and disorientation, it causes shifts in breathing, circulation and temperature control. A 2004 article in the journal "American Family Physician" states that risk factors for developing delirium tremens include a co-existing medical condition, daily, heavy alcohol use, previous history of withdrawal seizures, older age, abnormal liver function and severe withdrawal symptoms on initial presentation.
Heart Attack, Stroke and Death
Seizures, heart attacks, strokes and even death are possible consequences of delirium tremens. Seizures and delirium tremens can cause irregular heartbeat and dramatic blood pressure spikes, increasing the risk of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular injury. The treatment of delirium tremens is carried out in an intensive care unit, where heart rate, blood pressure and breathing can be monitored and emergency life support can be carried out if necessary.
References
- University of Maryland Medical Center: Alcoholism -- Treatment for Alcohol Withdrawal
- "Journal of Emergency Medicine"; Alcohol-Related Seizures, Part I: Pathophysiology, Differential Diagnosis, and Evaluation; Freedland ES, McMicken DB; July 1993
- "American Family Physician"; Alcohol Withdrawal Syndrome; Baynard M, Mcintyre J, Hill K, Woodside J; March 2004
