Background: Risk factors for alcohol withdrawal delirium include heavy drinking, prior alcohol withdrawal delirium or convulsions, nondrug sedative use, and a history of tachycardia, withdrawal, and infections.
Case presentation: A 76-year-old man with a history of heavy drinking and type 2 diabetes was hospitalized for hypothermia, rhabdomyolysis, and acute renal failure after a typhoon. He developed alcohol withdrawal symptoms 24 h after his last drink, leading to severe withdrawal delirium characterized by restlessness, delusions, and altered consciousness. Treatment included lorazepam, in addition to comprehensive care for his physical condition. His condition fluctuated, especially at night, with his psychiatric symptoms exacerbated by his physical illnesses, suggesting delirium due to the coexistence of severe and multiple physical illnesses. After 44 days, following substantial improvements in both mental and physical health with perospirone, the patient was discharged.
Conclusion: This case emphasizes the need for multidisciplinary collaboration in the treatment of such patients, especially during disasters, and the importance of long-term monitoring for elderly patients with alcohol dependence syndrome after a disaster.
Keywords: alcohol withdrawal delirium; delirium due to physical illnesses; disaster.
© 2024 The Authors. Neuropsychopharmacology Reports published by John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd on behalf of The Japanese Society of Neuropsychopharmacology.