Diseases

Alcohol Withdrawal Delirium

An acute organic mental disorder induced by cessation or reduction in chronic alcohol consumption. Clinical characteristics include CONFUSION; DELUSIONS; vivid HALLUCINATIONS; TREMOR; agitation; insomnia; and signs of autonomic hyperactivity (e.g., elevated blood pressure and heart rate, dilated pupils, and diaphoresis). This condition may occasionally be fatal. It was formerly called delirium tremens. (From Adams et al., Principles of Neurology, 6th ed, p1175)

National Library of MedicineMedical Subject Headings2026

Structured Summary

Abstract

An acute organic mental disorder induced by cessation or reduction in chronic alcohol consumption. Clinical characteristics include CONFUSION; DELUSIONS; vivid HALLUCINATIONS; TREMOR; agitation; insomnia; and signs of autonomic hyperactivity (e.g., elevated blood pressure and heart rate, dilated pupils, and diaphoresis). This condition may occasionally be fatal. It was formerly called delirium tremens. (From Adams et al., Principles of Neurology, 6th ed, p1175)

MeSH Record

Classification

Broader headings

Related Concepts

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MeSH Record

Synonyms

9 entry terms
  • Alcohol Withdrawal-Induced Delirium Tremens
  • Delirium Tremens
  • Delirium Tremens, Alcohol Withdrawal Induced
  • Alcohol Withdrawal Induced Delirium Tremens
  • Delirium, Alcohol Withdrawal
  • Alcohol Withdrawal Associated Autonomic Hyperactivity
  • Alcohol Withdrawal Hallucinosis
  • Autonomic Hyperactivity, Alcohol Withdrawal Associated
  • Hallucinosis, Alcohol Withdrawal

MeSH Record

Aspects Covered

30 allowable subheadings

Indexed with the subheadings blood, cerebrospinal fluid, classification, complications, diagnosis, diagnostic imaging, diet therapy, drug therapy, economics, enzymology, epidemiology, ethnology, etiology, genetics, history, immunology, metabolism, microbiology, mortality, nursing, parasitology, pathology, physiopathology, prevention & control, psychology, rehabilitation, surgery, therapy, urine, virology.

MeSH Record

Indexing Annotation

note X ref; do not confuse with "alcohol withdrawal syndrome" ( = SUBSTANCE WITHDRAWAL SYNDROME (IM) + ETHANOL /adv eff (IM)); ALCOHOL WITHDRAWAL SEIZURES is available

MeSH Record

History Note

91(81); was see under PSYCHOSES, ALCOHOLIC 1981-90; was DELIRIUM TREMENS see under PSYCHOSES, ALCOHOLIC 1963-80

MeSH Hierarchy

Tree Numbers

  1. C10w.720.112.200w
  2. C25.723.705.150.200w
  3. C25.775w.100.087w.193.200w
  4. C25.775w.835w.250w
  5. F03w.900w.100.100w
  6. F03w.900w.825w.500w

MeSH Record

NLM Classification

WM 274

AMA Style

References

  1. National Library of Medicine. Alcohol Withdrawal Delirium. Medical Subject Headings (MeSH). 2026. Unique ID D000430. http://id.nlm.nih.gov/mesh/2026/D000430
  2. Alcohol Withdrawal Delirium. In: Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Delirium_tremens
  3. Alcohol Withdrawal Delirium. In: Wikidata. https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q209647