The process of alcohol detoxification involves the cessation of alcoholic beverage consumption and the use of cross-tolerant drugs as a substitution for the alcohol. The prescribed medications curb the effects of the withdrawal symptoms by creating an effect similar to what results from alcohol consumption.
Depending on the patient’s age, their history of alcohol consumption, and their current medical status, there may or may not be a need for the detoxification process to be conducted. As an example, a binge drinker who seeks treatment after it has been a week since the last time alcohol was consumed may not be required to go through the process. They would just automatically be placed into the treatment program.
The use of cross-tolerant drugs refers to the family of medicines that are used to offset the withdrawal symptoms with Benzodiazepines being the most commonly prescribed group of the bunch. This family consists of diazepam, lorazepam, and oxazepam. These are more commonly known as Valium, Ativan, and Serax respectively.
Additionally, there are numerous patterns of treatment employed, but the three most common are as follows:
1. Varying degrees of tolerance – once every half hour, the patient is given a standard dose of Benzodiazepine until they are sedated. The dosage begins to be tapered over the next 3-10 days once a baseline dose is arrived at.
2. Dosage amount based on medical history / adjustment of dosage based on withdrawal symptoms – this helps determine what the standard dosage should be or how much it should be changed
3. Deference of treatment based on occurrence of symptoms – if there has been a history of alcohol-related seizures, then this form of treatment will not be administered. Characteristically, this form of treatment is only effective in controlled environments.
In addition to the above Benzodiazepine family of drugs, hospitals often supplement vitamins, specifically the “B” group, with the cross-tolerant medications.