Withdrawal convulsion

Harper MH, Winter PM, Johnson BH, et al Withdrawal convulsions in mice following nitrous oxide. Anesth Analg 59 19—21, 1980 Hasin D,Nunes E, MeydanJ Comorbidity of alcohol, drug, and psychiatric disorders epidemiology, in Dual Diagnosis and Psychiatric Treatment Substance Abuse and Comorbid Disorders, 2nd Edition. Edited by Kranzler HR, Tinsley JA. New York, Marcel Dekker, 2004, pp 1-34... 

Post-marketing surveillance and pharmacovigilance data contain few convincing cases of withdrawal from zopiclone. Most consist of rebound insomnia, but there are a few instances of withdrawal convulsions following high-dose dependence. A review of 25 zopiclone discontinuation studies found rebound effects and withdrawal symptoms to be minimal [35],... 

Tolerance/Dependence Tolerance, metabolic dependence, and psychologic dependence are likely. Dependence presents much like chronic alcoholism. Upon withdrawal, convulsions, hyperthermia, and delerium may be severe enough to cause death. Tolerance/Dependence High dose, chronic therapy may lead to dependence. Abrupt withdrawal may cause syndrome that mimics alcohol withdrawal (convulsions, hyperthermia, delerium). Cross tolerance and dependence occur. 

Research in rodents has provided evidence of solvent withdrawal. Continuous exposure to toluene for 4 days and subsequent cessation produced an increase in handling-induced convulsions for at least 2 hours after cessation (Wiley et al. 2003). A similar pattern of trichloroethane administration to rodents produced pronounced withdrawal, which was worsened by the administration of the proconvulsant drug pentylenetetrazole and attenuated by reexposure to 2,000 ppm of toluene or the administration of alcohol, pentobarbital, or midazolam (Evans and Balster 1993). 

Delirium tremens The most severe sign of alcohol withdrawal characterised by hallucinations and paranoia ( delirium ), marked tremor and convulsions ( tremens ). 

Giddiness, tension, anxiety, jitteriness, restlessness, emotional lability, excessive dreaming, insomnia, nightmares, headaches, tremor, withdrawal and depression, bursts of slow waves of elevated voltage in EEC, especially on over-ventilation, drowsiness, difficult concentration, slowness on recall, confusion, slurred speech, ataxia, generalized weakness, coma, with absence of reflexes, Cheyne-Stokes respirations, convulsions, depression of respiratory and circulatory centers, with dyspnea, cyanosis, and fall in blood pressure. 

Delirium tremens (the D.T.s ) resulting from alcohol withdrawal is slightly different in that it is usually preceded by the shakes, convulsions and occasionally by alcoholic hallucinosis - characterized by accusatory auditory hallucinations. As observed 60 years ago by Maurice Victor, an expert on alcohol problems, delirium tremens usually does not appear until day 3 or 4 following abrupt withdrawal from alcohol. The patient is generally malnourished and grossly deficient in vitamin Bj (thiamine) as the result of a diet consisting of little but alcohol. This deficiency ftirther compromises mental function. 

The electroencephalogram (EEG) may show dysrhythmic changes that frequendy precede convulsions withdrawal from exposure usually results in a normal EEG within 1-6 months. In most cases, recovery is rapid, but headache, dizziness, lethargy, weakness, and anorexia may persist for 2 weeks. In less severe cases of endrin intoxication, the complaints are headache, dizziness, leg weakness, abdominal discomfort, nausea, vomiting, insomnia, agitation, and, occasionally, slight mental confusion. ... 

Drug abuse and dependence Sedative/hypnotics have produced withdrawal signs and symptoms following abrupt discontinuation. These reported symptoms range from mild dysphoria and insomnia to a withdrawal syndrome that may include abdominal and muscle cramps, vomiting, sweating, tremors, and convulsions. Zolpidem does not reveal any clear evidence for withdrawal syndrome. 

The withdrawal syndrome from ethanol includes anxiety, insomnia, possibly convulsions and visual hallucinations (delirium tremens - the Dts). It is treated or better still prevented by a calm environment, adequate (but not excessive) hydration, and careful monitoring, with the added use of anticon-vulsive/sedative agents, mainly benzodiazepines to prevent or treat convulsions. The preventive effects of benzodiazepines on withdrawal morbidity has been clearly demonstrated. There do not seem to be major differences between benzodiazepines, such as chlordiazepoxide or diazepam or others. Because of the abuse potential in these highly susceptible patients, these should be rapidly weaned, and proper prevention of relapse instituted. Other drugs such as meprobamate and clomethiazole (Hemineurin) are commonly used in some countries. The effectiveness... 

Benzodiazepines are also used for several other conditions that are related to, but not actually termed, anxiety. For example, benzodiazepines are commonly given as soporific or hypnotic drugs (drugs that help people sleep). One of the benzodiazepines, flurazepam, is the most frequently prescribed hypnotic drug in the United States. Benzodiazepines also are administered as muscle relaxants, and can even reduce the occurrence of seizures or convulsions. Another common use of benzodiazepines is in alcohol withdrawal. Someone who is trying to stop drinking alcohol is usually given a heavy dose of... 

Adverse effects include drowsiness, diarrhoea, rashes (withdraw treatment), thrombocytopenia, haemolytic anaemia, aplastic anaemia. Convulsions may occur in overdosage. 

Scott R (1990). The prevention of convulsions during benzodiazepine withdrawals. British Journal of General Practice, 40, 261 Seifert J, Metzner C, Paetzold W, Borsutzky M, Ohlmeier M, Passie T, Hauser U, Becker H, Wiese B, Emrich HM Schneider U (2005). Mood and affect during detoxification of opiate addicts a comparison of buprenorphine versus methadone. Addiction Biology, 10, 157-64... 

Heavy alcohol use can lead to dependency as well as damage to the liver and other organs. With heavy users, alcohol withdrawal is quite dangerous, sometimes involving convulsions and hallucinations (delirium tremens). 

Withdrawal of the aromatic substituent in 1-aroxysilatranes from the oxygen atom in a methylene group leads to a sufficient decrease in toxicity (LDS0 of 1-benzyloxysilatrane is 2250 mg/kg). Whereas administration of 150 mg/kg of 1-phenoxysilatrane to white mice produces tonic-clonic convulsions, 1-benzyloxy-silatranes administered at higher doses only cause slight hyperemia. 

DETOX An abbreviation for detoxification, it refers to ridding the body of the toxic effects of regular, excessive alcohol consumption. During detox, alcoholics often experience severe withdrawal symptoms including acute cravings for alcohol, delirium tremens, and convulsions. 

The central nervous system actions that result from taking even small amounts of methamphetamine, on the other hand, include extreme alertness, increased energy, decreased appetite, increased respiration, hyperthermia, and euphoria—generally the effects sought by users. But over time, side effects such as irritability, insomnia, confusion, tremors, convulsions, anxiety, paranoia, and aggressiveness begin to intrude. These symptoms are magnified by lack of sleep. Withdrawal often produces severe depression. 

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