Delirium tremens: consequences for the brain and the whole body. Consequences of delirium tremens

Chronic alcoholism affects not only the alcoholic, but also his family. In the last stages of the disease, symptoms of alcoholic delirium are often observed, which is called “ delirium tremens"or "squirrel".

This is a dangerous mental disorder that drives a person crazy. It is important to stop the development of pathology in time and take treatment measures.

What it is

Alcoholic delirium is a severe mental disorder that manifests itself in the form of unreasonable aggression, loss of time and space, and severe agitation.

Delirium tremens got its name for a reason. During it, the alcoholic's temperature rises sharply and his face becomes pale.

The person experiences hallucinations of a tactile, auditory and visual nature. Often this condition leads to suicide.

Protracted
alcoholic delirium develops due to a sudden refusal of strong drinks after a binge - at least 7 days.
If the body that is accustomed to alcohol stops receiving ethyl alcohol, a metabolic disorder occurs in the brain, which causes excitation of the central nervous system, all of which affects the psyche. In some cases, the squirrel overtakes healthy people after drinking low-quality alcoholic beverages or taking psychotropic drugs.

According to statistics, delirium tremens most often occurs in people over forty years of age, mainly in women.

At risk are individuals who have suffered a TBI or serious inflammatory diseases of the nervous system, as well as those who have previously encountered a similar mental disorder or have acute chronic infections.

Weakening of a person's mental abilities

One of the most common consequences of delirium tremens is the moral and mental degradation of a person. Just a few attacks are enough for the patient to lose memory. Unfortunately, the process of loss of sanity is irreversible: alcohol is very toxic to the brain. There is no safe dose of alcohol for neurons, because they are the first to be hit by alcohol. Regular consumption of ethanol leads to chronic intoxication of the entire body.

Delirium tremens can develop even after a week of heavy drinking. In some cases, an attack of delirium occurs several months after constant drinking. Apparently, the body's susceptibility to alcoholic beverages, the quality of the alcohol and genetic disposition play a decisive role. There is a dependence on the presence of problems with alcohol in parents and their children.

It should be remembered that if a person has had an episode of alcoholic delirium at least once, then with a high probability it can happen again. Even a small amount of alcohol is enough for delirium tremens to make itself felt with a second attack. And it can be much stronger than the previous one.

Symptoms and signs

Most often, signs of delirium tremens in alcoholic men are noticed two or three days after drinking.

Delirium tremens usually occurs in people who have been addicted for more than five years. In women, it manifests itself already in the third year of alcoholism.

There are three phases of delirium tremens, which have specific symptoms and consequences:

1. Korsakov's psychosis. Expressed in unexpected mood swings, memory problems, sleep disturbances.
2. Delirium. Manifests itself in the form of depression, unmotivated aggression, and the desire to die.
3. Severe form. It is characterized by severe pain in the head, speech disorders, and pathologies of internal organs.

Symptoms of the disorder increase as dependence on alcohol increases.

Alcoholic delirium, the clinical manifestations of which are similar to psychosis, is accompanied by other signs:

• vomiting, convulsions;
• tremor of the limbs;
• dizziness;
• increased blood pressure;
• lack of appetite;
• profuse sweating;
• skin redness;
• yellowing of the whites of the eyes.

A person is worried about panic attacks, fears for no reason, premonitions of danger, and frequent awakenings at night.

The patient can clearly hear voices and sounds that do not exist in reality. He feels that someone is touching him. Moreover, tactile illusions become more and more real over time.

A person can shake off invisible insects, hide from haunting visions, and talk to a non-existent interlocutor. At the peak of the development of psychosis, scenes with fantastic heroes and animals, aliens emerge in the imagination. Symptoms of the disorder are especially pronounced at night. With the arrival of dawn, the severity of hallucinations decreases. Trying to escape from danger, patients jump out of windows and get hit by a car.

Stages of alcoholic delirium

Many people mistakenly mistake the inappropriate behavior of a drunk person in a state of heavy intoxication for “squirrel”. In fact, it occurs at the height of the “withdrawal syndrome” a few days after binge drinking or stopping drinking alcohol.

Incorrect treatment tactics for alcoholism can cause fever, especially when taking medications on your own without the supervision of a doctor. Delirium is a classic response of the central nervous system to the effects of toxins in chronic alcoholism.

The peculiarity of alcoholic psychosis is that it is characterized by the presence of a variety of organ and neurological symptoms, such as:

• redness of the skin, especially on the face,
• excessive sweating,
• shiver,
• tachycardia,
• surges in blood pressure, with a predominance of hypotension,
• increase in body temperature,
• impaired coordination of movements,
• diarrhea,
• local superficial muscle twitching,
• increased sensitivity to irritants.

In addition, markers of inflammation are detected in the blood, the amount of urine excreted decreases, and signs of dehydration develop. The psychiatric picture of alcoholic delirium has stages of development. Each stage reports the extent of the pathological process.

An article about pills from a pharmacy for the treatment of alcohol addiction without the knowledge of the patient

1. First stage This stage begins with precursors that resemble the abstinence clinic. Delusions of anxiety, persecution, and aggression from others appear. Sleep is disturbed, it is accompanied by nightmares, hypnogagic hallucinations, frequent awakenings. A symptom such as hypermnesia is added. At the same time, a person is covered with memories from the past, which he describes in great detail. The mood is elevated, excessive talkativeness is noted. Capriciousness and touchiness appear. The patient quickly becomes distracted and loses the thread of the story. The symptom of hyperesthesia manifests itself in a painful reaction to light and loud sounds. All symptoms worsen in the evening.
2. Second stage During this period, the patient experiences vivid visual visions (pareidolic illusions). This is manifested in the presentation of fantastic paintings that are made up of patterns on wallpaper, cracks, mosaics of tiles, etc. There is an increase in episodes of mood swings, talkativeness, and hyperesthesia. Orientation in time and place is lost. In the morning and during the daytime, moments of clarity of consciousness (lucid windows) periodically occur. At this time, a person comes to his senses, realizes what is happening to him, criticizes what is happening. Then consciousness darkens again. Sleep becomes more superficial, the patient screams and twitches in his sleep.

1. Third stage: At this stage, hallucinations appear. Most often these are large-scale scenes with the participation of animals. Scenes of everyday life or production occur less frequently. Vivid images interest and frighten the patient. He can hide, run away, defend himself. There is a sensation of a foreign body in the throat and movements trying to remove it. Figurative delirium is added, accompanied by speech and motor overexcitation. The patient screams, utters incoherent phrases, swears, jumps out of bed, and runs. During this period, a person poses a danger. Disorientation in place and time remains, but in his personality - not. The patient realizes who he is, names his name, age, profession. Hallucinations suggested (by a doctor) appear as a diagnostic criterion. Disorientation increases in the evening and at night. There is practically no sleep. Delirium usually breaks off at this phase and goes away after a long deep sleep - the classic version. If it ends at stage 2, then it is considered abortive.
2. Stage four: This stage is rarely observed and is characterized by persistent or occupational delirium. The patient is increasingly detached from reality and disoriented. Excitement remains within the bed. With murmuring delirium, stereotypical obsessive movements are observed (pulling the blanket, shaking off crumbs, removing threads, etc.), which are accompanied by constant meaningless mumbling. With professional delirium, movements reminiscent of professional activity are added (typing, driving vehicles, assembling objects, etc.). The patient is completely disoriented, his gaze is cloudy, unconscious. The appearance of these two types of delirium is an unfavorable prognostic sign of the imminent onset of coma. Against this background, due to decompensation of the cardiac and respiratory systems, the death of the patient may occur. How long delirium tremens lasts depends on the circumstances of the disturbance of consciousness, the state of health and the age of the patient. The process can take a week or more without medical intervention.

How long does delirium tremens last after drinking?

If we talk about the duration of delirium tremens after a binge, it is worth noting that a similar condition is observed for two, three and even five days.

It all depends on several factors:

• duration of the disease;
• duration of drunkenness;
• volume of alcohol consumed;
• the presence of mental and somatic diseases.

The maximum duration of delirium tremens is two or three weeks. In this case, urgent treatment in a hospital is required, otherwise the situation can lead to complex brain damage and death.

Consequence of death

Death occurs in approximately a tenth of all patients in the absence of treatment. In a severe condition with delirium, which can lead to death, a person exhibits the following symptoms:

1. Temperatures reach 40 degrees or more.
2. Rapid dehydration occurs.
3. The level of nitrogen in the blood increases, which means that the kidneys do not remove metabolic products from the body well.
4. Leukocytosis appears - the composition of the blood changes, which indicates the presence of pathological processes.
5. The erythrocyte sedimentation rate increases, which also indicates pathologies, including the onset of the inflammatory process.

In addition to these disturbances in the functioning of the body, the cause of death may be the patient’s inappropriate behavior , leading to injuries incompatible with life. As well as suicide committed against the background of a delusional state.

Note ! Anyone who has already suffered from delirium once, after drinking alcohol, albeit in small quantities, is much more susceptible to other painful conditions that can lead to death.

What to do if you have delirium tremens

If the patient is rowdy and behaves inappropriately, the following manipulations must be done:

1. You should lay him on the bed and, if necessary, tie him up.
2. It is important to protect the individual and others from harm.
3. It is necessary to provide him with plenty of fluids.
4. You can reduce the temperature with a contrast shower and a cold compress.
5. We need to call an ambulance.

First of all, doctors give a person Diphenhydramine , Barbamil , or administer Diazepam intramuscularly. After this, he is hospitalized for treatment.

It is worth considering that self-treatment of withdrawal symptoms often leads to unpredictable consequences. Therefore, experts advise seeking help from doctors at the first manifestations of “squirrel”.

Korsakov psychosis

Korsakoff psychosis is a mental disorder caused by damage to the peripheral nervous system. Delirium tremens has extremely disastrous consequences for the brain. The patient's memory is impaired, amnesia occurs - the patient forgets absolutely everything, he does not remember the past, and is not even able to reproduce the events of the current day. Such people do not remember the names of their loved ones, they may ask the same stupid questions, etc. Patients are very anxious, they are afraid of everything. Over time, they may develop a state of euphoria or, on the contrary, apathy and indifference. With Korsakov psychosis, the ability to work is lost and paralysis develops. The patient becomes disabled. With complete abstinence from alcohol and intensive rehabilitation, after 2-3 years the memory may stabilize, but performance does not return.

Treatment

Treatment in the clinic is carried out taking into account the general state of health, contraindications, and other pathologies. The duration of therapy depends on the severity of the disease.

Therapy

Treatment in the hospital includes a number of activities:

1. Normalization of the functioning of the cardiovascular system and other organs. Brain edema is removed with Lasix solution and vitamins; intravenous glucose and liquid administration of Hemodezom are used to filter the kidneys.
2. Restoring normal metabolism. To improve metabolism, Reopolycluk is used.
3. Restoring mental well-being. Eliminate aggression and improve the functioning of the nervous system with the help of a solution of Sibazon, Seduxin.

Therapy in a hospital is considered more effective and safe than outside the hospital. The course of treatment is carried out under the supervision of doctors and changes depending on the improvement or deterioration of the patient’s condition.

At home

You can fight delirium tremens yourself only in case of mild manifestations of the disorder. It is necessary to provide the patient with adequate sleep and a balanced diet.

• Alternating warm and cold showers and walks in nature help a lot.
• It is necessary to help a patient with alcoholism cope with stress and guilt.
• He shouldn't drink alcohol.

It is forbidden to give drugs to a patient without the knowledge of the doctor.

You cannot shout at him, scold him or raise your hand to him. It is important to understand that a person does not adequately perceive the surrounding reality.

Alcoholic delirium is treated at home with folk remedies. These include:

• a decoction of bay leaf and lovage root;
• tincture of wormwood and centaury;
• inhalation over birch smoke;
• hellebore tincture.

Natural honey . It is given to the patient six teaspoons three times an hour. Then they take a break of two hours and repeat the course again.

Clinical picture

Symptoms of alcoholic delirium after binge drinking are expressed differently and depend on the duration of the binge. At a certain point, an alcoholic’s binge ends with the person developing an acute aversion to alcohol. Not only the desire, but also the physical need to drink drinks disappears. Along with this, the patient experiences sudden changes in mood. Joy and carelessness are replaced by anxiety and causeless fear. Developing depression and apathy can cause a suicide attempt.

The patient experiences tremors, sleep disturbances and causeless anxiety. Constant nightmares, one of the causes of insomnia and a feeling of constant fear for one’s own life. At a certain stage in the development of the disease, attacks of auditory and visual hallucinations are observed. Lack of medical attention at this stage can lead to more spectacular and realistic attacks. How many days delirium tremens lasts depends on both the physical and mental state of the patient. Some people experience bouts of hallucinations that last for several days.

The constant progression of these symptoms leads to the patient developing a fear of leaving the house. In this state, the alcoholic is dangerous not only for himself, but also for his immediate environment. In order to help the patient, you should call an ambulance as soon as possible and admit the alcoholic to a specialized clinic for treatment. The development of delirium tremens is accompanied by symptoms such as: attacks of hallucination, loss of orientation, attacks of insanity, a rapid increase in blood pressure and body temperature. To the listed symptoms should be added a feeling of anxiety, sleep problems, panic attacks and tremors of the limbs.

According to medical statistics, without treatment, about 10% of alcoholics die from “squirrel” every year

Predictions and consequences

Delirium tremens often has complications. Then the stay in the hospital is prolonged.

The disease will be treated together with other pathologies. If a patient has pneumonia, pancreatitis, cirrhosis, coronary artery disease, tuberculosis or other serious health problems, he will be transferred to the appropriate department.

After complete recovery, it is recommended to code the drunkard to prevent the recurrence of delirium. It is difficult to say how many people live after delirium tremens.

Alcohol related mortality statistics

Its consequences depend on several factors:

• time to see a doctor;
• therapy literacy;
• presence of other diseases;
• the patient's lifestyle after discharge.

Complications occur with any form of delirium. With high-quality treatment of mild and moderate stages of the disorder, the life and health of the patient will not be threatened.

An neglected form can cause unpleasant consequences. Among them:

• mental disorders;
• chronic psychosis;
• amnesia;
• chronic liver pathologies;
• kidney disease;
• ischemia;
• renal edema.

These complications are largely associated with alcohol intoxication.

If a person stops drinking alcoholic beverages, the risk of delirium tremens will be minimized. When conducting self-treatment, you must consult a doctor to avoid serious consequences.

Causes and risk factors

The only reason for the development of delirium tremens is the abuse of alcoholic beverages that lasts for many years. Factors that increase the risk of alcohol-induced delirium include:

• consumption of low-quality alcohol (pharmacological preparations and technical liquids containing alcohol and its surrogates);
• long drinking bouts;
• expression of pathological changes in internal organs, primarily in the liver;
• history of brain diseases and traumatic brain injuries.

The only cause of delirium tremens is alcoholism lasting many years

The pathological mechanism of the development of delirium tremens has not yet been fully studied. It is assumed that the main role in the occurrence of acute psychosis is played by metabolic disorders and long-term chronic intoxication of brain tissue.