Alcohol Withdrawal Seizures: Symptoms, Causes, Treatment, and More

We will then review some common symptoms of severe withdrawal, including seizures, and I will let you in on an experience I once had with DT’s. The kinds of withdrawal symptoms you experience will depend on the substance you were dependent on. Alcohol is a central nervous system depressant, which means that it slows down nervous system activity in the brain. When that depressant is removed, you may feel a sudden lack of its rewarding effects, leading to nervousness, insomnia, and anxiety. Alcohol is the common name for drinking alcohol, but it’s actually a specific chemical in a broad category of chemicals called alcohol. It is produced naturally through the breaking down of sugars in plants and fruit.

Stage 4: Delirium Tremens

• If The Recovery Village is not the right fit for you or your loved one, we will help refer you to a facility that is.
• DTs is a very dangerous condition with a mortality rate of between 2-15%.
• By addressing the root cause of alcohol misuse and maintaining a commitment to sobriety, individuals can significantly reduce the risk of experiencing seizures due to alcohol withdrawal.

In line with results from animal studies, there is little evidence that carbamazepine prevents alcohol withdrawal seizures and delirium in humans, although it may be useful to treat alcohol craving (1). Similarly, phenytoin is not effective in protecting against the occurrence of seizures in withdrawing alcoholics (71,72). Valproate is protective against alcohol withdrawal convulsions in mice (73). The intravenous formulation is gaining acceptance in the clinical management of status epilepticus so that it could potentially be used in prophylaxis against alcohol withdrawal seizures. https://ecosoberhouse.com/ Increasing interest is expressed in the potential of gabapentin as a treatment for alcohol withdrawal (74–78) and of topiramate in alcohol dependence (79). In the past several years, dramatic advances have been made in understanding the short- and long-term effects of alcohol on the central nervous system.

Management and Treatment

The overstimulating effects of alcohol withdrawal can lead to increased blood pressure, heart palpitations, sleeplessness, fever, hallucinations, panic, and seizures. Severe and potentially life threatening symptoms of alcohol withdrawal include seizures and delirium tremens (DTs). Alcohol withdrawal seizures can occur after someone has been drinking heavily for a few days or longer.

Supporting Long-Term Abstinence

We are also equipped to treat co-occurring disorders such as depression, anxiety disorders, PTSD and others. Those with severe or complicated symptoms should be referred to the nearest emergency department for inpatient hospitalization. Research shows people who have a supportive social network are more likely to remain alcohol-free after withdrawal.

• Compensatory upregulation of NMDA and kainate receptors (54) as well as calcium channels (55,56) also have been implicated in alcohol dependence and withdrawal seizures.
• This may be accompanied by a groan or cry as air is forced through the vocal cords.
• Establishing a health baseline and familiarizing providers with the patient’s medical history allows for more effective detection of new or unusual symptoms.
• For people who experience hallucinations as part of alcohol withdrawal, these may begin in the 12- to 24-hour time frame.
• For mild alcohol withdrawal that’s not at risk of worsening, your provider may prescribe carbamazepine or gabapentin to help with symptoms.
• The clonic phase can last between 1 and 3 minutes, but the average time is around 2 minutes.

People who chronically consume large amounts of alcohol seem to be more likely to have epilepsy than people withdrawal seizures symptoms who don’t. DTs can develop in anyone who meets the criteria for heavy alcohol use. For people AMAB, that means drinking three or more drinks per day and 15 or more drinks per week. For people AFAB, that means drinking two or more drinks per day and eight or more drinks per week.

Risks and Complications

Anticonvulsants may also be used, especially in cases where benzodiazepines are not recommended or when an alcohol-induced seizure continues despite benzodiazepine treatment. Alcohol seizure treatment involves a combination of medical supervision, detoxification, and medication. Detoxification is the initial phase, during which the body is allowed to rid itself of alcohol under medical supervision.

Alcohol and antiseizure medications

For long-term management, medications such as acamprosate and naltrexone have proven effective in treating AUD and can help reduce or eliminate alcohol use. Gabapentin and topiramate, while not officially approved for this use, can serve as second-line treatments for AUD. Individuals with a history of heavy alcohol use or those who abruptly stop drinking are at heightened risk for seizures. The pathophysiology of alcohol seizures involves the central nervous system (CNS) and is related to the abrupt reduction in alcohol intake after prolonged heavy consumption.

Experience Care with Elite Home Detox

Rodent models that mimic human alcohol withdrawal–related tonic–clonic seizures have been useful in defining the physiologic mechanisms underlying ethanol withdrawal seizures (9). In these models, animals are exposed to alcohol by intragastric intubation, inhalation, or feeding in a nutritionally complete liquid diet for periods of 2 to 21 days. The animals exhibit sound-evoked audiogenic seizures or handling-induced convulsions during the 1- to 3-day period after cessation of alcohol intake and may also experience spontaneous generalized seizures. Alcohol and seizure medications also play an important role in alcoholic seizure treatment and the prevention of further seizures. Alcohol and seizure medicines such as benzodiazepines are often the first line of defense because they are effective in reducing the risk of seizures and can help ease other withdrawal symptoms.