What it means
It usually begins about 2 to 4 days after the last drink in a person who has been drinking heavily for a long time. Signs include confusion, hallucinations, shaking, fever, sweating, a fast heart and high blood pressure, and seizures can occur. It can be fatal without treatment.
For the nurse
Ask every client about alcohol use. Monitor withdrawal with a scale such as CIWA-Ar, give benzodiazepines as ordered, and keep the room quiet and well lit with seizure precautions in place. Thiamine is usually given.
At a glance
| Spanish | delirium tremens |
|---|---|
| Also written | DTs |
Related terms
delirium
A sudden state of confusion and poor attention that comes and goes over hours or days.
hallucination
Hearing, seeing, feeling, smelling or tasting something that is not really there.
seizure
A sudden burst of abnormal electrical activity in the brain that changes movement, feeling, behavior or awareness.
addiction
A long-term condition in which a person keeps using a substance or doing a behavior despite the harm it causes.