The alcohol withdrawal syndrome is a cluster of symptoms observed in persons who stop drinking alcohol following continuous and heavy consumption. Milder forms of the syndrome include tremulousness, seizures, and hallucinations, typically occurring within 6-48 hours after the last drink.
Estimates vary on the incidence of serious consequences of alcohol withdrawal.
Regardless of actual incidence, recent evidence suggests that it may be important to treat everyone who is suffering from alcohol withdrawal. In a classic study that has shaped our understanding of alcohol withdrawal for many years, Isbell et al. In a recent study that looked primarily at seizures, Ng et al. However, emerging neurophysiological findings lend support to Isbell's interpretation of withdrawal. Thus, ethanol acts as a nonspecific biochemical inhibitor of activity in the central nervous system.