Our rate of severe complications of 7.1% is consistent with other studies 7,18,22,29,34. Noteworthy, we observed a lower rate of WS and a higher percentage of DT, especially in the ILS-group. The low number of WS is probably attributable to our prophylactic anticonvulsant therapy.
Fortunately, no matter how severe the drinking problem, most people with an alcohol use disorder can benefit from treatment. Seeking treatment at a professional alcohol rehabilitation facility can help you significantly reduce or stop your drinking. Treatment can also lower your risk of related problems such as alcohol seizures. Status epilepticus (a prolonged seizure lasting more than 5 minutes) occurs in less than 10% of people who have alcohol withdrawal seizures, but can be life-threatening. The rarest yet most dangerous withdrawal symptom involving seizures is delirium tremens (DTs), which usually appear after 48 hours of alcohol withdrawal and can last up to five days. DT symptoms may include shaking, fever, hallucinations, disorientation, and alcohol withdrawal seizures.
Medical Treatment
New onset or a new pattern of alcohol-related seizures, e.g., focal seizures or status epilepticus, should prompt a thorough diagnostic evaluation. This is not indicated if patients have previously completed a comprehensive evaluation and the pattern of current seizures is consistent with past events. Treatment is initially directed at aggressively terminating current seizure activity.
What Is Alcohol-Induced Psychosis? Causes, Symptoms & Treatment
Our focus was on risk factors for the occurrence of SAWS, particularly in patients with ILS. We were able to identify admission via ED, previous DT and ILS as risk factors for SAWS as well as AWS ≥ 5, hypokalemia, elevated bilirubin, increased Gamma-GT, and thrombocytopenia. Four days after admission, a lower urinary tract infection was detected and Collibacillum identified as the pathogen responsible. For this reason, treatment with ofloxacin 200 mg bid was prescribed. Clinical examination of the patient in the hours following the episode only revealed a bilateral facial haematoma around the eyes as a consequence of the seizure and the fall. Laboratory tests performed the next morning were normal (blood cell count, blood chemistry, calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, blood glucose and transaminases).
Managing Alcohol-Induced Seizures: Medications and Lifestyle Strategies
Postictal neurological examination is usually normal in these patients. After a first withdrawal seizure, anomalies can be detected on the EEG in around 50% of cases and on CT in between 35% to 55% of cases, whereas laboratory tests are usually normal 10. A 38-year-old woman was admitted to our alcohol treatment centre to undergo inpatient detoxification.
Many medications can help prevent seizures; however, these are only used in those with epilepsy or who are likely to have seizures. Seizure medicine requires a prescription, and doctors do not typically prescribe them to people who think they may have seizures from drinking. In a 2020 study, research found that the risk of SUDEP was twice as high in people with a history of alcohol dependence or substance misuse disorder.
A united family front can be instrumental in maintaining long-term recovery success. Family dynamics can play a pivotal role in both the development of and recovery from AUD. Family therapy sessions bring together spouses, siblings, parents and other close relatives to address dysfunctional patterns and improve communication skills. By helping families understand the nature of addiction and its impact, therapy sessions create a supportive atmosphere that can reinforce the individual’s commitment to sobriety. Other approaches, like Motivational Interviewing (MI), tap into a person’s intrinsic motivation.
Seizure medicine can also interact with alcohol, making its effect even greater. All these factors combine to increase your risk of seizures while using alcohol. For people with epilepsy, alcohol may interfere with anti-seizure medications and increase the risk of seizures.
Quality of Life Impairment Due to Alcohol-Induced Seizures
An alcohol assessment will help determine if a person experiencing alcohol-related seizures need treatment for a possible alcohol use disorder. The assessment process involves meeting with a licensed alcohol use disorder therapist at a treatment facility or detox center. It is a safe, confidential place where you can be honest about alcohol misuse. Together, you can create a treatment plan based on your physical, emotional, and medical needs.
Alcohol causes an initial spike in blood sugar levels, followed by a drop below normal levels for the next 12 hours. Misusing alcohol can increase your overall risk of developing epilepsy. Heavy alcohol use of three or more drinks in a day can also increase the frequency of seizures in those who already have epilepsy. Additionally, epilepsy medications can increase the effects of alcohol, causing each drink to make you more intoxicated than it usually would. Someone with epilepsy should use alcohol very carefully, as it can increase the risk of severe health problems and complications. Harmful use of alcohol is a significant health risk all over the world.
Through our integrated treatment programs, we’ve helped thousands of people choose recovery over addiction and get back to life on their own terms. We encourage all those struggling with substance use to seek professional help. Alcohol binds to the GABA receptors in the brain and alters the release and absorption of neurotransmitters. When there is too much GABA, the person begins to slur their speech, becomes fatigued, stumbles and trips.
Alcohol withdrawal seizures may begin within hours to days of stopping alcohol use or starting an alcohol detox. The timeframe will be different for everyone, but seizures will normally start within the first 72 hours. Alcohol withdrawal seizures can occur within a few hours or up to 72 hours after stopping alcohol related seizure drinking.
Alcohol Detox and Withdrawal Management
Alcohol poisoning is a consequence of extreme binge drinking and can reduce blood sugar levels and alter concentrations of ions like magnesium and calcium in the brain. These changes may be enough to cause seizures, but the precise relationship is an active research area. Alcohol poisoning can also lead to decreased oxygen delivery to the brain, increasing the risk of seizures. Alcohol is a depressant that can affect the brain in a number of ways. In some people, alcohol can trigger seizures, especially when the effects of alcohol are wearing off or during withdrawal.
By considering these differential diagnoses, healthcare providers can ensure that alcohol withdrawal is indeed the cause of the seizure activity. Alcohol-induced seizures (AIS) are a serious complication of alcohol withdrawal, and accurate diagnosis is critical for effective treatment. The process involves a thorough medical history, physical examination, and diagnostic tests to rule out other causes of seizures. This article provides an in-depth look at the steps involved in diagnosing alcohol-induced seizures and the importance of recognizing key symptoms.
Seizures can be triggered by excessive or sudden alcohol consumption, which affects brain function in significant ways. Alcohol-related seizures can result from both overdrinking and alcohol withdrawal, making it essential to recognize the risks involved. In a study performed at The University of California, researchers found that when people drink alcohol, endorphins are released in their brains. When these endorphins are released, the person drinking alcohol is rewarded with pleasure, happiness, or some other reward. This process makes the brain and body want more of the alcohol, and the person will continually seek it out.
The possibility that the seizure was related to alcohol withdrawal seemed low, given the absence of a withdrawal syndrome or previous seizure history, and the time elapsed between stopping drinking and the seizure. It is extremely rare for alcohol withdrawal seizures to occur more than 72 hours following interruption of alcohol consumption 3, 4, 7. Benzodiazepine withdrawal can also be excluded as the cause of the seizure, since the dose of diazepam was not changed. Following the criteria proposed by Naranjo et al. 16, it can be concluded that the seizure was probably imputable to ofloxacin.
- This is partly because they are more sensitive to things that can cause seizures.
- Someone with an alcohol withdrawal seizure may experience convulsions and lose consciousness.
- When a person is addicted to alcohol and it’s removed from their system, they will experience many unpleasant symptoms.
- We are committed to helping you medically detox safely and maintain long-term sobriety.
- Seizures can be focal—or occur on one side of the brain—or generalized in which they appear in both sides of the brain.
Treatment & Rehab
As with almost all things, when used in moderation alcohol is pretty harmless. Having a bottle of beer or a glass of wine on occasion isn’t likely to cause any problems, and it’s almost certain that it won’t lead to a seizure. That said, as we’ve seen before, some people don’t have the switch in their brain that lets them drink in moderation.
SUDEP is the sudden and unexpected death of a person with epilepsy who is otherwise healthy without a known cause. The risk in people with epilepsy is roughly 1 in 1,000 people per year. Status epilepticus is a medical emergency that may lead to lasting brain damage or death.
