Alcohol Treatment Centers: Alcohol Treatment Center Uses Medicines to Cure Withdrawal Symptoms

Alcohol addiction is a primary concern of our society. Government and different private organization have inaugurated alcohol treatment center for treatment of alcoholics and to deal with the immediate emergency situations that arises due to alcohol poisoning. In the treatment centers for alcoholics, the first and the initial step is the dry stage. Patients enrolling to any alcohol treatment center, at this stage have to live under a supervision of a physician without consuming alcohol. A patient experiences various severe to mild withdrawal symptoms. Sometimes the withdrawal symptoms can get out of hand and turn life threatening for the subject.

Treatment of withdrawal symptoms with medicines is a common practice at any alcohol treatment center. It needs proper observation, examination and management. One of the best known medicines for treatment of withdrawal is benzodiazepines.

Benzodiazepine is used as an anti anxiety medicine. It inhibits the excitability of the brain receptors by acting on the nerve cells. It also slows down the progression of disorder like delirium tremens as well as reduces chances of any seizures that the patient might suffer from during dry stage.

Problems of Benzodiazepines

If at any stage, the patient is administered with extra dose of benzodiazepines for more than three nights in a row within a week, then they suffer from different secondary responses as:

1) Drowsiness during daytime
2) Feeling of Hung-over
3) Constant agitation
4) Respiratory problems
5) Stimulate eating and as a result the person gain weight

Benzodiazepines are also known to interact with few of the other medicines like antihistamines, cimetidine and oral contraceptives to cause serious fatal consequences. Use of Benzodiazepines with alcohol can be injurious to health as well. Mostly elderly people are susceptible to its affects. Younger people and women show birth defects if it is administered during pregnancy.

Patient who have used the drug for more than two or three weeks can experience mild incidences of rebound symptoms. Longer periods and higher doses cause severe problems. Mild secondary responses of benzodiazepines are sleeping disturbances as well as periodic anxiety.

Diazepam on the other hand has longer duration and action than any of its contemporaries like midazolam or lorazepam. Usually, the doctor provides the patient with an initial intravenous dose. Additional doses are administered after very 2 or 3 hours if the patient continues to suffer from period of withdrawal. If the intravenous application of diazepam is continued then the patient is also kept under heavy sedation.

Dependence: The above drugs lose its effectiveness over time. As such, it requires higher doses with passage of time. If a patient continues to uses it over a longer period of time it will eventually show a dependency.

Additional cure for Withdrawal Symptoms

1) Beta-blockers: Example of certain beta-blockers which are used to cure withdrawals is atenolol and propranolol.

2) Anti-Seizure medicines such as carbamazepine or divalproex sodium are useful.

3) Lidocaine (Xylocaine) is used to cure heart palpitation.

4) Benzodiazepines are useful for seizures.

5) For psychosis treatment, physicians mostly administer haloperidol.

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