Delirium tremens - a violation that occurs when the abolition of alcohol, which is characterized by sudden strong changes affecting the psyche and the nervous system. Delirium tremens can develop when a person stops drinking alcohol after a prolonged period of abuse, especially if at that time he was not well fed. It can also be caused by head injury, infection or other disease in people who abuse alcohol. The risk of developing this disorder are people suffering from alcoholism for more than ten years.

Symptoms

The most common symptoms of delirium tremens occur within 72 hours after the last dose of alcohol consumption. In some cases, they occur only after 7-10 days.

Symptoms of delirium can be

• Tremor;
• Changes in mental functions (anxiety, irritability Irritability - you try to control my temper , Confusion, disorientation, weakening of attention, a deep sleep, which lasts one day or more; delirium, anxiety Anxiety - how to distinguish normal from disease? , Fear, hallucinations (usually threatening), rapid mood changes, increased sensitivity to light, sound, touch, stupor, drowsiness, fatigue);
• Seizures (usually appear within the first 12-48 hours after eating; most typical generalized tonic-clonic seizures).

Symptoms characteristic of alcohol withdrawal in general, including, for delirium tremens:

• Anxiety;
• Depression;
• Violation of clear thinking;
• Fatigue;
• Unsteady gait;
• Headache;
• Insomnia;
• Lack of appetite;
• Nausea;
• Pallor;
• Heart palpitations
• Sweating, especially the hands and face;
• Vomiting.

In addition, in delirium tremens occur symptoms such as chest pain Chest pain is one symptom - a lot of diseases , Fever, stomach pain Pain in the stomach when the body asks for help .

Diagnostics

For the diagnosis of delirium tremens specialist primarily examines existing symptoms and medical history of the patient. Long-term alcohol abuse history and the presence of some of the above symptoms are grounds for believing that a person may have delirium tremens.

For the diagnosis and the following procedure:

• Determining the level of magnesium in the blood;
• Determining the level of phosphate in the blood;
• Electrocardiogram (ECG);
• Electroencephalography (EEG).

Treatment

When white fever requiring hospitalization. Symptoms such as convulsions and irregular heartbeat monitor antispasmodics, drugs that suppress the central nervous system (e.g. diazepam), and sedatives.

Sometimes, the patient should be given sedatives for a week or more.

If the patient's hallucinations, can be assigned to antipsychotic drugs such as haloperidol. However, these products are prescribed only in extreme cases since they can enhance seizures.

When the patient recovers begins prolonged prophylactic treatment. Typically, patients are advised to strictly limit the consumption of alcohol or a complete rejection of it.

Full recovery from delirium tremens may take a long time. During the year and a patient may persist symptoms such as mood swings, fatigue and insomnia.

To prevent delirium tremens, alcohol consumption should be faceted. It should be noted that delirium tremens is found not only in patients with alcoholism; It may develop in any person who has abused alcohol - even if it happened to him the first time in my life.

Wilson's disease - a hereditary disease causing the accumulation of excessive amounts of copper in the liver, brain and other vital organs. Copper plays a key role in the formation of healthy nerves, bones, collagen and the skin pigment melanin. Normally, copper is absorbed from food and excreted in the bile - a substance that is produced by the liver.

But in people with Wilson's disease, copper is not displayed properly, but instead accumulates in the body, sometimes reaching a life-threatening level. Without treatment, Wilson's disease ends in death of the patient. If early diagnosis can be cured and many people with this diagnosis still live a completely normal life.

Symptoms

Wilson's disease causes a wide variety of signs and symptoms that are often mistaken for symptoms of other diseases. Symptoms vary depending on what part of the body affected by the disease Wilson.

The symptoms of Wilson's disease:

• Clumsiness;
• Depression;
• Slurred speech;
• Difficulty swallowing;
• Difficulty in walking;
• Increased salivation;
• Easy bruising;
• Fatigue;
• Tremor;
• Joint pain;
• Lack of appetite;
• Nausea;
• Skin rash;
• Swelling of the hands and feet;
• Yellowing of the skin and whites of the eyes (jaundice).

Causes

The reason for Wilson's disease is a genetic mutation that is passed from generation to generation. Wilson's disease - is an autosomal recessive trait - that is to inherit it, a person must receive two copies of the defective gene, one from each parent. If a person has only one such gene, the disease he did not develop, but it will be its carrier and can pass it to their children.

Mutations associated with Wilson's disease, causes problems with the proteins, which are responsible for the removal of excess copper from the body.

Organism extracts copper from the food during its digestion. Copper enters the liver; liver cells use it in their daily work. Most people consume more copper than they need. The liver takes an excess of copper together with bile, which itself and produces.

If Wilson's disease excess copper does not leave the body and accumulate in the liver, causing serious and sometimes irreversible damage. Gradually, copper begins to accumulate in other organs, especially the brain, eyes and kidneys.

If you know that someone of your close relatives diagnosed with Wilson's disease, pass a medical examination, even if you have no symptoms of it. Early diagnosis significantly increases the chance of successful treatment.

Complications

Wilson's disease can cause the following complications:

• Cirrhosis. When trying to restore liver cells damaged by excess copper portions of the liver, scar tissue is formed that impedes functioning of the liver.
• Liver failure. This disorder can occur suddenly (acute liver failure), or develop slowly over many years. When progressive liver failure may need a liver transplant.
• Liver cancer. Liver damage as a result of Wilson's disease increases the risk of liver cancer Liver cancer: prognosis is poor, but there is hope .
• Neurological disorders. Typically, these violations take place after the successful treatment of Wilson's disease, but in some patients they persist despite treatment.
• Kidney disease. Wilson's disease can cause a variety of diseases of the kidneys, including kidney stones Kidney stones: identify and treat .

Diagnostics

For the diagnosis of Wilson's disease, the following methods:

• Analysis of urine and blood.
• The study of the brain by means of computed tomography or magnetic resonance imaging.
• Eye examination - on the iris of patients with Wilson's disease is usually found golden brown field diskoloratsii.
• A liver biopsy.
• Genetic testing. By analyzing blood Blood tests: a mirror of health   You can detect the presence of the patient's genetic mutations that cause disease Wilson. Such a test is made in only a few medical centers; As a rule, it is necessary, if other methods are not allowed to put the final diagnosis.

Treatment

To derive the excess copper from patients with Wilson's disease Wilson's disease: the metabolism of copper -Konovalova Prescribe medications that are called chelating agents. When the patient returned to normal, the dose of drugs are gradually reduced.

After successful treatment of chelating agents can be assigned to receive zinc acetate. This prevents too much absorption of copper from the diet.