A patient who has been drinking heavily for 3 years seeks medical care. What should the nurse realize about alcohol withdrawal syndrome when caring for this patient?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

1. Alcohol suppresses the production of GABA. When alcohol is withdrawn, GABA may resume normal function, which is to inhibit transmission of impulses.
2. Neurotransmitters are usually balanced between inhibitory and stimulatory. In the presence of alcohol, transmitters are inhibited. With the absence of alcohol, the transmitters become stimulated.
3. When exposed to repeated doses of alcohol, the central nervous system (CNS) becomes accustomed to the depressant effects of the alcohol and produces adaptive changes in an attempt to function normally. In the absence of or with a significant decrease in the amount of alcohol, chaos erupts within the CNS. When alcohol is no longer acting as a depressant, the compensatory actions cause excessive CNS excitability.
4. With the withdrawal of alcohol, neuroreceptors do not regain normalcy. Instead they are prone to become overstimulated due to the depressant effect of alcohol.

A Patient Who Has Been Drinking Heavily for 3 Years