The management of severe ETOH withdrawal and Delirium Tremens:

1. Consider alternative diagnoses

Here is my DT protocol

2. Start treatment with diazepam

3. If you reach 200 mg, switch to phenobarb or intubate and give propofol

4. Your goal is to get your patient sleepy, but arousable with a HR<120

The citation for the CCM article is (Crit Care Med 2007;35:724)

I also discuss a listener email regarding succinylcholine and whether it causes increased oxygen consumption.

Dexmedetomidine (Precedex)??

Maybe...

In short: Roc Rocks and Sux Sucks! (that one is for you Reub)

Update:

* Phenobarb for etoh withdrawal

* Phenobarb dose calculator sent by Dr. Robert Hand

* The Pharmacology of Benzos in Withdrawal