Treatment of Alcohol Withdrawal in Hospital Patients
| Status: | Completed |
|---|---|
| Conditions: | Psychiatric |
| Therapuetic Areas: | Psychiatry / Psychology |
| Healthy: | No |
| Age Range: | 21 - 75 |
| Updated: | 4/21/2016 |
| Start Date: | April 2001 |
| End Date: | May 2003 |
Acute Drug Withdrawal in a General Medical Setting
The purpose of this study is to test how tolerable and effective lorazepam is when used to
treat alcohol withdrawal in hospital patients at risk for alcohol withdrawal.
treat alcohol withdrawal in hospital patients at risk for alcohol withdrawal.
Studies show that symptom-triggered dosing is best for treatment of alcohol withdrawal in
patients on chemical dependence units without other illness. On general medical hospital
wards, withdrawal may be affected by comorbid medical illness. A clinical trial was
undertaken to determine whether there is a difference between symptom-triggered (ST) and
fixed-schedule (FS) dosing of lorazepam in patients hospitalized on general medical wards at
a University medical center. Subjects were assessed by their nurses with the Revised
Clinical Institute Withdrawal Assessment for Alcohol (CIWA-Ar) scale. Subjects in the ST arm
received lorazepam doses based on CIWA-Ar score. Subjects in the FS arm received scheduled
lorazepam with tapering over 4 days.
patients on chemical dependence units without other illness. On general medical hospital
wards, withdrawal may be affected by comorbid medical illness. A clinical trial was
undertaken to determine whether there is a difference between symptom-triggered (ST) and
fixed-schedule (FS) dosing of lorazepam in patients hospitalized on general medical wards at
a University medical center. Subjects were assessed by their nurses with the Revised
Clinical Institute Withdrawal Assessment for Alcohol (CIWA-Ar) scale. Subjects in the ST arm
received lorazepam doses based on CIWA-Ar score. Subjects in the FS arm received scheduled
lorazepam with tapering over 4 days.
Inclusion Criteria:
- Alcohol dependence (based on criteria from the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of
Mental Disorders, 4th Edition)
- Daily alcohol use for at least seven consecutive days with the last use no more than
72 hours prior to enrollment
- Patients on the General Internal Medicine service
Exclusion Criteria:
- Unable to give informed consent
- Chronically maintained on prescription sedative-hypnotics
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Virginia Commonwealth University Medical Center The Virginia Commonwealth University Health System is an urban, comprehensive...
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