Treatment of alcohol withdrawal delirium
Question 3: In the treatment of alcohol withdrawal delirium, are benzodiazepines or antipsychotics safe and effective when compared to a placebo/appropriate comparator to produce benefit/harm in the specified outcomes?
- Population: patients with alcohol withdrawal delirium
- Interventions: sedative-hypnotic or antipsychotic medications
- Comparison: placebo/comparator
- Outcomes:
- control of alcohol withdrawal delirium
- mortality
- adverse effects of medication (where appropriate) and their compliance.
Recommendation(s)
Benzodiazepines should be used for the treatment alcohol withdrawal delirium.
Strength of recommendation: STRONG
Antipsychotic medications should not be used as stand alone treatment for alcohol withdrawal delirium.
Strength of recommendation: STRONG
Antipsychotics should only be used as an adjunct to benzodiazepines in severe withdrawal delirium which has not responded to adequate doses of benzodiazepines.
Strength of recommendation: STRONG