One in 100 people in the United States will experience a seizure in their lifetime, according to Mayoclinic.com. A seizure is the result of abnormal electrical activity in the brain and has many causes, including alcohol use and alcohol withdrawal. While an alcoholic seizure can be a serious health problem, treatment of the seizure and of alcoholism can prevent recurrence.
Causes
According to the American Academy of Family Physicians, abrupt cessation of alcohol use in a patient that regularly uses alcohol results in condition called brain hyperexcitability. Prolonged alcohol use inhibits certain receptors in the brain and when alcohol exposure stops, these receptors are no longer inhibited. Initially, this excitability is manifested in symptoms of anxiety, irritability, tremulousness and increased heart rate. If these symptoms are not treated, a patient in alcohol withdrawal might experience an alcohol withdrawal seizure. A patient who suffers from a seizure related to alcohol withdrawal is at increased risk of this happening again in a similar situation.
Symptoms
Alcoholic seizures are typically grand mal seizures, or generalized seizures. The patient has loss of consciousness and the muscles alternately flex and relax for a period of time. This period of time is typically less than two minutes but can be much longer. A patient might lose control of his bowel or bladder during the seizure and often appears confused and disoriented even after the seizure is over. Because the seizure might not stop on its own, medical attention is needed immediately.
Diagnosis
The most difficult aspect of diagnosing an alcoholic seizure is determining whether the seizure was related to alcohol use versus another cause. Seizures related to electrolyte imbalances, head injuries, tumors, strokes, infection and blood vessel malformations can present in a similar manner. If a patient is known to suffer from alcoholism, the presence of withdrawal symptoms such as tremors, insomnia and irritability are a good indication that the seizure is related to alcohol withdrawal. An EEG, or electroencephalogram, which records the electrical activity of the brain, might be used to demonstrate seizure activity.
Treatment
Initial treatment of alcoholic seizures involves stopping the seizure activity. The best medication for this is a benzodiazepene, which behaves in a manner similar to alcohol in the brain. Once the seizure has stopped, doses of benzodiazepenes are often used to control withdrawal symptoms and prevent recurrence of seizures. These are continued for several days until symptoms disappear. When the patient no longer has withdrawal symptoms, the benzodiazepene can be safely stopped. At that point, the patient requires further therapy for treatment of alcoholism but is unlikely to have a alcohol-related seizure.
Prevention/Solution
Alcoholic seizures can be prevented by using alcohol in moderation. According to the AAFP, about 7.4 percent of the U.S adult population in 1992 met the criteria for alcohol abuse or dependence. While any person with heavy and prolonged use of alcohol is at risk for an alcoholic seizure, a person who experiences hand tremors, anxiety, irritability or difficulty sleeping when decreasing alcohol use is at high risk for an alcoholic seizure. A patient who feels he is at risk for alcoholism or for alcohol withdrawal should discuss this with his physician to create a safe plan for alcohol cessation in order to prevent alcoholic seizures and other potential complications.
